The Rival--A Pokemon Mahina(Moon) Nuzlocke
by CrapMonsterDuchess
Summary: Not everyone is the hero of the story... sometimes, you find yourself being The Rival. A Nuzlocke, as written by someone born and raised in Hawaii, for a real cultural experience! Expect plenty of slippas, spam, and casual racism. Please let me know if you find any spelling errors and the like. Constructive suggestions welcome!
1. Rough Starts

**The Rival: A Pokemon Mahina(Moon) Nuzlocke**

 **Chapter 1: Rough Starts**

The soon-to-be trainer gazed at the raised battle platform. Situated atop the sacred timbers, three young pokemon met hopeful eyes with expectant looks of their own. One by one, the trainer went face to face with would-be companions, partners...friends. It took only an instant for the connection to form; instinctively, they knew one another's passions, desires, and fears. Without hesitation, the trainer reached out for the spirit most compatible with their own; ready to begin the journey of a lifetime. Only one detail mired this idyllic premise: that trainer wasn't ME!

* * *

" _The weather's just right to have some fun,_  
' _Nothing but smiles from everyone,_  
 _Today my trainer journey's begun,_  
 _It's a Melemele-kinda Day!"_

Melemele, by the way, is the name of this island. The name of the god-awful singer, is Charlee(that's me!), but just because you suck at something doesn't mean you shouldn't do it, because _someone_ has to make everyone else feel good about themselves. The sun was shining, the raindrops were falling, and from this scandalous union, the freakish beauty known as a rainbow was born. It was definitely a good day in paradise. Dad had already gone into town to open up the Battle Buffet restaurant, and I bet mom was hunting down the best deals in the shopping district. Looks like it was time for me to leave home too.

But first… "Breakfast!" A flurry of feathers filled the porch and several Flying-type Pokemon descended on the birdseed I was tossing. Among all the birds in Alola, these, with their beautiful red heads, were hands-down my favorites: the Pikipeks.

"Ruff! Ruff! Ruff!" A coffee-colored furball suddenly came tumbling out of nowhere and playfully dived for the gathered birds!

"Pona, NO!" But it was too late. The Rockruff's antics sent the Flying-types scattering to the sky, save for one. Visibly annoyed rather than terrified, the Pikipek hovered in front the small dog Pokemon's face and chirped a scolding. Despite the clear size difference, Pona submitted and whimpered an apology.

"Ok, I think she's had enough, Aleng!"

At the sound of my voice, the Pikipek hopped on my offered hand and when I brought him to my face, he gave me me an affectionate little poke under my ear. Chicken-skin erupted across my neck and shoulders; the tingling sensation felt really, _really_ good.

"Today I get my starter Pokemon. How about after, I come back to catch you and all your little friends?"

Aleng responded with a good-natured "Pikikiki!" It almost sounded as if he was laughing at my joke. Personally, I wasn't sure if catching a habituated Pokemon would even count. I had been feeding these Pikipeks ever since I was little, and I've known Aleng since the very beginning! "Better not let your buddies eat all the good seeds. 'Catch' you later!" Bad puns and wordplay are kinda my thing. Along with bad singing.

" _Southshore swell's kissing the sand,  
They got all-kine flavors at the Shave Ice stand,  
Can't wait to have a pokeball in my hand,  
It's a Melemele-kinda-_OOF! _"_ Let this be a lesson to you: when bursting out in song, pay attention to your surroundings. It's amazing how one tiny thing can turn your mood a fast 180. My first instinct was to grab whoever crashed into me, and beat them within an inch of their life. "Watch where you're-oh, hey Hau." Sprawled on the ground across from me was my best friend. Then again, he was pretty much everyone's best friend. Dark skin, green hair, and a malasada in his mouth. He was pretty much overdoing it on the whole 'local' thing. Seeing who it was, my anger went away. Not willing to pummel an old buddy over an accident, I settled for the third bad pun of the day. ""Hau"-zit going?"

"Chuck! Howzit! Ready to get your Pokemon today?"

"Ho-yeah, you better believe it!"

"Cool! I was just about to go see Tutu and check them out now. Wanna come?"

"No thanks. I'll catch up later." His offer was tempting, but the day was still young, and I had some things I wanted to do before rushing off on my journey.

"Shoots. Laters!"

First things first: being a Pokemon trainer meant work, dedication, and not a lot of free time. So it would be irresponsible of me to NOT get one last surf session in!

* * *

Invisible energy surged towards Melemele, displacing literal tons of water. As it neared shore, the changing topography of the seafloor forced that water upwards, higher and higher! Torn by gravity and inertia, the mountain of liquid could no longer retain cohesion, and collapsed upon itself in an explosion of shimmering white foam! That, my friends, is a wave.

It seemed as if everyone and their Pokemon was out there at the break: the shredders on their short boards; the stand-up paddlers; there were even some guys on an outrigger canoe! Personally, I prefer the nice, smooth ride of a longboard. Sure, it might not tear through the waves like the smaller rides; but if waves were Pokemon, then longboards would be Master Balls.

Speaking of which, there were a number of Pokemon splashing around in the lineup! Most of them were with trainers, but I wouldn't be surprised if a few were wild and just waiting to catch their own wave, provided they don't end up caught themselves! Some people were even riding on the larger ones, and then it occurred to me: maybe my first Pokemon should be a water-type.

Popplio...I think that was the name of the Pokemon that the Kahuna was offering; I saw a few around me, splashing around with their trainers. Those little guys looked goofy, but there was no denying that they were a blast to have around; what with their charming antics, and the adorable way their nose honks when you squeeze them.

The thought of a Popplio must've been good karma, because as long as it was on my mind, I was catching wave after righteous wave. It seemed my choice was now obvious, and wouldn't you know it, a familiar face was waiting for me when I paddled back to shore.

"Alola Charlee!"

"Hey, Prof. Laxative!" Professor Kukui's face soured at the embarrassing nickname. Hey, his fault for being named after a candlenut.

"Just kidding Professor K. Howzit going?" All the kids on Melemele talked to him like that. The guy was way too young for us to treat him like one of the old-timers, but we still respect him lots, though.

"I should be asking you that." he replied. "From the way you're messing around, I take it you have your Pokemon already, yeah?"

"Well, no." I scratched the back of my head in embarrassment. "Not yet."

"Don't mess around too long Charlee, or you'll miss out. You should go with Selene; she's going up today too."

"Selene?" It took me a sec to notice the girl beside him. A new kid, with pale skin and dark hair. Thinking back, I remembered seeing this girl around the island a few times, as of late. The hibiscus-shaped beanie on her head was kind of funny-looking, but it made her easy to remember. It seemed that she and her mom just moved here.

When Selene's face met mine, she smiled and nodded a greeting in that silent, polite way that just screamed, "Straight Outta Kanto." I extended my hand to her. When she took it, I suddenly pulled her in for one of my famous Bewear hugs!

"Alola cuz! Welcome to the islands!" When saying hello here, personal space is forfeit. That's just how we roll. "So you're getting your Starter too? They have those in Kanto right? Not like ours, I bet!"

Again, she only smiled weakly. Eesh, what was it with Kantonese and politeness?

"So Charlee, will you be coming with us?" Kukui asked. I was definitely ready for my starter Pokemon, but before I could say yes, the entire island suddenly shook with a violent tremor!

What the heck was THAT?

Then it struck again! By the third time, I realized that it was coming from my opu. Always forget how hungry I get after surfing. "Thanks Professor, but I have some important business to take care of first." Lunch, THEN Pokemon!

* * *

Although I have to agree with Hau on the superiority of malasadas (who DOESN'T like sugary, fried, dough balls?), there is no better instant-energy food than a spam musubi: that's your traditional seaweed-wrapped rice ball, with a big slab of pan-fried spam slapped on it. And the pan-frying is the important part! Fire is essential for unlocking the full flavor of...of whatever spam is made out of. It's a good way to refuel though.

Sitting at the counter of the snack shack, I could _hear_ the delectable sizzle of fatty juices dancing on a greased skillet. The savory aroma unleashed a torrent of saliva from my mouth, and watching the musubi being pressed, wrapped, and plated was almost too much to bear! Cooking was a full-on experience for the senses, and that got me thinking again: what might things be like if I started with a fire-type? Having a Litten around would definitely make cooking a breeze; and cats are such great hunters, I probably wouldn't have to worry about starving. Hey, when you're on a Pokemon Journey, you can't afford to be picky.

Thoughts of my journey once again took a backseat when my order was ready. Oh MAN was it good! The nori seaweed, still crisp and salty, gave way to the spam itself: firm, rich, and just a little bit sweet from the teri sauce. It was all brought together in the rice: moist and starchy, binding the flavors of the other ingredients into one. The lingering traces of saltwater in my mouth made the flavor super-effective. Post-ocean snacks are the best!

* * *

It was late in the afternoon by the time I was back on the outskirts of Haole City (real name Hau'oli, but we call it "Haole" because of all the tourists). Man, what an awesome day! First a surf session, then some ono grindz; I was pretty sure things couldn't get any better than that! And to top it off, there was _just_ enough time left to go grab my Starter Pokemon! No rush though, because after all, I was running on Alolan time. I hear in the rest of the world, they have a saying about stopping and smelling the roses. Over here, we have way cooler flowers to sniff. Heck, even the little Pohinahina leaves growing along the side of the path smelled good!

I absentmindedly brushed my hand along the round green bushes. The fuzzy foliage tickled; they felt more like feathers than part of a plant. Bringing my fingers to my face, I inhaled deeply, and that sweet, herbal fragrance enveloped my nostrils. I wondered if this would be what having a Rowlett would be like: a Pokemon to keep the air fresh and sweet, and also someone soft to cuddle and squeeze on cold nights.

"Ho Chuck, you sniffing some pakalolo?" Hau joked as he came up alongside me. To maintain a G-rating, I'm not allowed to explain what that is.

"Ha! You're the one who's gonna need to get high, after I thrash you in a Pokemon battle."

"Cool, so what'd Tutu give you?"

"Going to pick my Starter right now!" I grinned.

Hau stopped in his tracks. "Hey uh Charlee, when I got my Pokemon today, gramps didn't have many left. In fact, he might've been saving for just one more trainer."

I stopped grinning, but Hau could be a tease. I wouldn't let his words get to me now. "Cool. I didn't think the Kahuna thought so highly of me."

"Yeah...but I'm going up there now 'cuz I heard that Selene was getting hers and-"

My blood froze. Kukui _did_ mention that the new girl was getting her Pokemon today. My pulse went from absolute zero, to about 100 miles a minute. The pleasant warmth of the Alolan sun was replaced by a raw, toxic heat befitting a Salandit. As I charged the rest of the way into town on one breath, I kept telling myself not to worry, that I would still be getting my Starter.

A crowd had gathered around the town square, but through the heads, I could still make out Selene on the battle platform, with her new Pokemon. With _my_ Pokemon! The heat in me became positively volcanic. Like a raging Tauros, I forced my way through the spectators and to the stage, lunging for Selene! "RAWR!"

Somehow, Kukui got between the two of us before I could get close!

"Charlee, that's enough!" I'm sure that being held in the professor's bronzed, muscled arms would have been enough to placate most anyone, but for me, there was no going back now.

I thrashed around as violently as I could, clawing for Selene and the terrified Pokemon in her arms. "How dare you! HOW DARE YOU! That Pokemon is supposed to be MINE! MINE! Let me at her! VENGEANCE WILL BE MINE! I WILL SWALLOW YOUR SOUL!"

"Enough!" There was an audible sharpness in Kahuna Hala's tone; he didn't even raise his voice. He didn't have to. " _Listen_ to yourself! Do you honestly believe that you are entitled to a Pokemon? " Under the Kahuna's penetrating stare, even I faltered, just a little. "Officially, you haven't committed any offense as a trainer, so we cannot revoke your passport, but I will be damned if I let my last Pokemon fall into the hands of a brat like you."

And then he was gone. Followed quickly by Hau, Selene, and the rest of the town. My vision began to blur, and a stinging moistness creeped over my eyes. To my surprise, I was crying. At that moment, the stalemate between my pride and shame finally came to a crashing end. All manner of energy and emotion drained from my body; it was my luck that Kukui was still holding me up.

"It's alright Lillie, I have him." Kukui lowered me to the ground as gently as possible. If he had dropped me, I wouldn't have known. Or cared. I slumped against the ancient battle platform; my mind, what was left of it, was elsewhere. "Please stay with Charlee while I let his parents know what happened." His assistant nodded silently, and then we were alone. For the longest time, Lillie didn't say anything, allowing me my slow spiral into the abyss of despair.

 _Gone. My Pokemon is gone. What chance do I have now? No starter. No Island Challenge._ I was so deep in my melancholy, that it barely registered when she finally broke the awkward silence.

"I cannot say that I am surprised by this outcome, Charlee," I hardly heard her; "but maybe...maybe one day, you'll get another chance. This doesn't have to be forever." Beside me, she placed my trainer passport, a pokedex, and a pokeball. An _empty_ pokeball. Was there any crueller way to taunt me?

 _What's left for me? How can I even show my face on Melemele?  
_

I don't know if Lillie said anything else, but at some point, she must have left me too. By the time I realized it, the moon, Mahina, was already chasing the sun towards the horizon.

I made no effort to get up. What's the point anything now? So I remained, slumped on the battle stage. I didn't move when the cold, offshore winds began. I didn't move when a familiar fluttering filled the air.

Aleng gave me chicken-skin again, and the pleasurable shivers was just barely enough to penetrate the numbing stupor. "Pikipiki." As if desiring to play fetch, he began nudging the empty pokeball towards me. As if I wanted anything to do with that grim reminder of an unfulfilled destiny.

I laid my head back down on the wood. "You better go back to your nest. It'll be dark soon."

"Rattata!" Too late. As if to prove my point, something crashed through the foliage on the far side of the arena! Aleng and I barely dodged the black bullet that streaked by. A Rattata! No doubt interested in a fresh snack to start the evening. Suddenly, my problems weren't that important, and before I realized it, I had put myself between it and Aleng.

"Get out of here!" I was saying that as much to Aleng as I was to the Rattata. Whatever melancholy I was going through could take a backseat until he was safe. At least I was too big for the rodent to take on alone. At least, that's what I thought, but as the pest sized me up, suddenly I wasn't so sure. Before I could react, the Rattata Tackled me the chest, knocking the wind from my lungs before I even hit the ground! It was all I could do to stay conscious as the Dark/Normal-type tore into my shirt with massive fangs!

"Piiiiii!" A familiar trill filled the air and Aleng's slammed into a Pokemon at least twice his size using Echoed Voice! The blow sent the rodent sprawling, but the Rattata was quick to recover: its attention refocused on its original target. "Pekpekpekpek!" Aleng hissed. Rattata snarled and charged, but the Pikipek dodged by the skin of his teeth, before battering his attacker with another Echoed Voice!

"Raa!" More enraged than hurt, the deafened Pokemon lashed out in a frenzy! Its flailing tail managed to swipe Aleng before he could get clear!

"Hurry, get up!" but the Rattata had already zeroed in on him, and leapt into the air for the killing Tackle! "Use Peck!"

Each second stretched for an eternity. To the rhythm of my beating heart, I watched as Aleng flared his wings to regain stability. Even as as the Rattata descended on him, Aleng smoothly transitioned into a single, powerful flap that launched him at his enemy's exposed belly, beak first!

My heart seized when the mass of the mammal Pokemon seemed to completely envelope the smaller Pikipek… but then the entire length of the Rattata' body spasmed and arched backwards, in a way that was most violent and unnatural. A Critical Hit! This time, when he fell, the Rattata wasn't so quick to get up. The silence was broken only by the ragged beating of our hearts.

"Oh man, Aleng, that was awesome!" I scooped the little bird up in my arms and held him tight. After a scare like that, I never wanted to let him go. "You won your first battle!"

To my surprise, Aleng shook his head, and gave me a light peck on the nose. A spark seemed to pass between us. His message was clear, " _We_ won."

The full realization began to sink in and I put him down to take it all in. I could only imagine the look on my face as all the strife of the past hour dissolved into nothingness, and I felt lighter than air. Although that may have been the adrenaline wearing off. There was a slight clacking noise off to the side, and I looked to see Aleng rolling the pokeball towards me again. I'm ashamed it took so long, but suddenly, I understood what he wanted. Hell, what _Lillie_ probably had wanted.

I was smiling inside and out. "I guess our journey is still on. So, are you ready to make Alola tremble?"

Aleng looked at me with those beautiful sapphire eyes of his. "Yes."

* * *

As the new trainer and his Pokemon began their journey, neither of them noticed a different pair on the hill above, bearing silent witness to the momentous occasion. As Chuck and Aleng moved out of ear-shot, Lillie was the first to speak.

"Professor, are you sure we should be letting them go?"

"Charlee is stupid, but he's not evil." Kukui chuckled. "That shouldn't keep him from being a trainer.

"And you think because of this, it's safe to let him to go on a Journey?"

"Because of this, he needs to." Kukui closed his eyes in quiet reflection. "The first steps can be the most painful, but we all must learn to walk, eventually."

 **RULES:**

1) No Starters

2) Only the first Pokemon encountered in each new area may be used (assuming it's captured successfully).

-Repeat clause in effect

3) Minimalist Rule: Only new (Gen VII and Alolan version) Pokemon may be used in battle

4) Fainted (Killed) Pokemon can no longer be used

5) Blind Nuzlocke Run. No guides or game spoilers

 **Author's Notes:** I've been planning a nuzlocke ever since they asked me to appear in the first Japanese Trailer for Sun  & Moon (in it, I bought Moon)! I personally actually have nothing against the Alolan Starters, but Aleng is based on the bird I used to feed as a kid, the Red-Crested Cardinal, which bears superficial resemblance to a Pikipek (we certainly don't have Woodpeckers in Hawaii). And yes, that was the first wild Pokemon I encountered, too. Also, yes, Charlee is based on a younger me, and like Kukui pointed out, I was kind of an ass; like a good Rival should be. Hey, plenty of character development potential though! Hope you'll stick with it and read it the entire way through. If you think there are things that could be improved upon, please think about a review. Mahalo!


	2. Lessons Learned & Experience Earned

The Team so far:

 **Charlee  
** Species: Human

Nature: Naughty

 **Aleng  
** Species: Pikipek

Nature: Rash

 **The Rival: A Pokemon Mahina(Moon) Nuzlocke**

 **Chapter 2: Lessons Learned & Experience Earned**

Twilight had passed, and from the velvet darkness that now blanketed Alola, the soft, rhythmic choir of night began to surface.

"Oh My God! You can talk!" I shouted at Aleng.

"Oh My God! You can understand me!" he shouted back.

"Oh My God! You can talk!"

"You just said that."

"Oh My God! You can talk!"

[Aleng used Peck.]

"Ow, sorry. But how come you never said anything to me before?"

"I've _always_ talked to you. After a while, I just assumed you had a listening disability."

"All I ever heard was 'Pikipekpekpek', or something."

"Are you serious? What were they teaching you in Trainer's School?"

I shrugged. "Mostly, it came out as 'Blahblahblahblah'."

The moon was glowing with a supernatural radiance; illuminating the path that lead home. Home... "You know Aleng, we still have to figure out how to tell Mom & Dad that you're my Starter Pokemon. I'm pretty sure they were expecting a Litten or something."

He landed on my shoulder and nuzzled me affectionately. "Don't worry. They're your parents. They are intelligent, reasonable adults. They'll understand."

* * *

"No! Absolutely NOT!" Mom shouted. As expected, she and Dad were refusing. Big time. What I didn't account for was the raw anger in the way she spoke. I guess the Exeggcute doesn't fall far from the Exeggutor though, because her attitude was starting to get _me_ pissed off. Again.

"You can't stop me! I have my trainer's passport!" I defiantly waved said passport in Mom's face. In hindsight, that probably wasn't the smartest move. She snatched it and flung it across the room.

"Do you really think that makes you ready, Charlee?" Now it was Dad's turn. It doesn't matter what culture you are from; it totally _blows_ when your parents double-team you. "Do you think you _deserve_ to go after how you acted this afternoon?"

"Hey I said I was sorry already!" I wasn't; but Hala had already gave me this lecture today and once was enough! "And I got Aleng as my Pokemon now!"

Dad scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. Being denied a Starter Pokemon is bad enough. Don't embarrass yourself further by beginning your journey with a Pikipek!"

"Tomorrow, we are going to release that Pokemon, and you are going to wait until next year to try again."

"Release him?!"

"Another word out of you, and you won't have your journey for _two_ more years. Now hand over that pokeball!"

My fingers dug into the sphere in my pocket, unwilling to yield. "He's my partner." I protested, but the words barely made it out of my throat.

"Now! Or I swear, I'll release it clear on the other side of the island!" I wish I could say that I stayed defiant. That I unleashed Aleng right there and we busted our way out that door to freedom... but wishful thinking cannot undo the cold grip of reality. At least I can say I didn't surrender to Mom quietly. Out of spite, I stomped as hard as I could going up the stairs. I only hope that I damaged the floorboards as much as they damaged my feet! When I got to my room, I poured every last ounce of my anger and sorrow into slamming the door.

Dozens of thoughts flitted through my mind; some of which were pretty illegal. With my blood boiling, sleep was pretty much impossible. Good. Dad made several efforts to check on me, but I sent him packing. Eventually, he gave up and the hall lights faded as he and mom finally went to sleep. After what seemed like an eternity, I checked my watch to find that only about an hour had past. Crud.

At some point though, unconsciousness must have found me, because the next thing I knew, a 'taptaptap' at the window was waking me up. Aleng flew in the instant I opened it.

"Sorry, were you sleeping?

"Nah, just…just...*yawn*. Anyway, Mom fell for it."

"Good. So your parents never trained Pokemon?"

"Nah. Dad's always been too scared of running into Rattata, and Mom couldn't even tell the difference between a pokeball and a _baseball_!" To be fair, it _was_ colored to look like a pokeball. Speaking of which, I grabbed my backpack, and Aleng's eyes bulged when he saw the thing.

"How many pokeballs do you have in there?!"

I shrugged. "About a hundred or so. Better safe than sorry."

"Shouldn't you be more concerned about packing food?"

"Hey, we'll be battling lots of Pokemon. I'm sure _some_ of them will be edible." Aleng shook his head and took the lead flying out the window. I was right behind him, but just as I reached for the window, something grabbed the back of my shirt. My heart leaped into my throat! Had mom and dad found out?

"Ruff!" I had forgotten about Pona!

"Aw, you want to come too?" I reached for one of the empty pokeballs, but it refused to accept her. When she realized this, the little Rockruff's confusion and disappointed were clear.

"I'm sorry, girl. I think you belong to Mom & Dad. When we get stronger, I promise I'll figure out a way and come back for you, ok?" Reluctantly, Pona let me go, which was probably for the best. Taking Aleng's example, I tried leaping for the nearest tree branch while shouting, "Adventure!" CR-RACK! The branch broke. So did the next few branches that I hit on the fall down.

"Are you ok?!"

"Ad-ad-venture!"

[Charlee fainted.]

* * *

By the time the sun had come up, Aleng and I had made it far enough along Route 3 to avoid being found. More importantly, we already had a decent number of battles under our belt. A few were against other trainers, but most of them were throw-downs with wild Pokemon. With his typing advantage, it was almost unfair the way Aleng was slaughtering Caterpie and Ledyba. And I meant slaughter! There were a few survivors...but not too many. Just as well though. With perishable food being one of the "non-essentials" that we had left behind, it was up to Aleng and I to feed ourselves until we made some cash, and bugs were pretty much his natural prey anyway. To be honest, they really weren't all that bad, but of course Aleng joined a few trainers in disgust when I started sampling some of his fresh Caterpie.

"Huh, tastes like raw spam."

"For Mew's sake, at least cook them first!" He probably did have a point.

"Fine." I swallowed one last bite. "It's time we got to Iki Town anyway." Leng landed on my shoulder as I started up the path. "Today they're having a festival for Tapu Koko, and new trainers are invited to face off. I think we're ready!"

"To be the very best, like no one ever was?" Aleng asked excitedly.

"No, silly. To have our REVENGE!"

* * *

Hau was waiting near the center of town, and he was quick to notice Aleng. "Ho, howzit Charlee! Man, I thought you'd never make it! Me and Popplio've been waiting for ages!"

"Sorry man, you gotta wait a little longer." A quick scan of the area and I found who I was looking for. "There's someone else I want to battle first." Aleng nearly flew off in fright when I started shouting, "SELENE! IN THE NAME OF TAPU KOKO, I CHARLEE, CHALLENGE YOU TO A BATTLE!"

To my surprise, it was Kahuna Hala who approached me. "The Alola Region is made up of our four islands." He said coldly. "And each island has its own Guardian Pokemon. Our festival today is held to express our _thanks_ to these great Pokemon guardian deities."

Whatever point he was trying to make was lost on me.

"It is alright, Kahuna Hala, Sir." Selene spoke, for what might have been the very first time. To my surprise, her gaze was as fiery as my own. "I accept his challenge."

"Very well." Hala took his place in the center of the battle stage, as a beacon for the entire festival; no, the town; no, the island. "For all who live on our islands...and for those who undertake the Island Challenge with _joy_ in their hearts...we pray for your protection...for them and all Melemele!" A massive crowed converged what was sure to be an intense fight! "May this Pokemon battle be an offering to our island's guardian deity-Tapu Koko!" Turning towards me, the Kahuna nodded. "Before you stands Charlee-born and raised on Melemele."

Taking that as my cue, I stomped onto the stage, relishing in each thud of my footsteps.

"Before him stands Selene- one who as met with Tapu Koko!"

I stopped dead in my tracks. _She's_ seen _Tapu Koko?_ Judging by the whispers and comments that peppered the audience, I wasn't the only one pondering this. No, couldn't let that distract me. I shook my head to clear the haze. "It doesn't matter. The Guardian of Melemele won't protect you from me, Selene."

"Then you better pray that he'll be protecting you."

"Selene! Charlee! Bring forth the power of your Pokemon!" Hala declared. And with that, our battle began!

From a choice of three pokeballs, Selene started the battle with a Metapod. I nodded to Aleng- the only Pokemon I had, and the only one I would need.

"Metapod, use Tackle!"

We let them get the first blow in. This could have finished fast and easy with a Peck or two, but since we had the obvious type advantage, I decided to build some momentum, with "Echoed Voice!" The sonic attack walloped Metapod's health into the yellow, and before it could even regain its footing, Aleng's even more powerful encore finished the bug off! It was a strategy we had practiced plenty this morning. "Looks like quality will be trumping quantity in this battle, eh?"

"…you fought well, Metapod. Now go, Yungoos!" Selene's next choice was another common sight in Alola, and normally a predator of Pikipek such as Aleng...but we were anything but normal.

"Use another Echoed Voice!" The air itself shook as the power of a bullhorn blasted out of Aleng's beak! This third consecutive Echoed Voice was easily four times the strength of the first, and floored the Yungoos in a single blow. "And another one bites the dust!" Selene was visibly shaken, and called on her last Pokemon without any comment or fanfare: a Rowlet took the stage. I stared at the Grass/Flying starter and my fists clenched with my teeth. This was the Starter that should have been mine; the one that Selene stole from me! "Hit it with Rock Smash!" Against another Flying type, Aleng's Fighting move wouldn't be very effective. Good. I wanted to draw this out as long as possible, and make Selene suffer.

"Rowlet, Astonish!" I laughed as the Ghost-type move had no effect on my part-Normal Pokemon; that was certainly a lucky surprise for us. The Leafage that followed was almost as useless.

"Rock Smash, again!" Aleng's blow landed even harder on a weakened Rowlet, but the owl Pokemon struggled to its feet. He was strong, but his defenses were still failing; it wouldn't last much longer. I wanted to make sure Selene knew it. "This is what you get! This is what happens when you come all the way across the ocean, just to steal _my_ Pokemon." I declared, so that all could know what she had done. In return, I felt the daggers of disgust and even hatred, from the multitudes present. Even Aleng shot me a look. I didn't care. "Everything that happens to this poor Pokemon is all. Your. Fault. Aleng, Rock Smash!"

This time however, my Pikipek missed by a wide margin!

Selene was quick to seize the opening. "Rowlet, use Peck!" The Grass Quill Pokemon struck back with impressive force, and even I winced a bit. Fortunately, Aleng's health was still in the green.

"Don't lose focus buddy. Now, let's finish it and use Peck too!" The ensuing 'attack' was slow, sloppy, and obviously half-hearted. Rowlet had no trouble evading and counter-attacking with another Peck of its own.

"Good job Rowlet! Now keep it up with more Peck attacks!"

"Aleng, what are you doing? I said quit goofing around!" But when my Pikipek glared at me, I could tell that he was dead serious in his intent; even as he dropped all pretense of battling and simply took every Peck attack that Rowlet threw at him. What anger I had shifted from Selene to my own Pokemon "Stop it Aleng!" He wouldn't. And each blow that landed began to take its toll. As it wore on, I wasn't sure what I was more worried about: the audience seeing this embarrassment of a battle, or the safety of my Pokemon. No, it was definitely his safety. Before long, Aleng couldn't even stand back up, or make an effort to block. As his health dipped below dangerous levels, my rage quickly drained away, and was replaced by desperation, even fear. "Fight back! Please!" Between the tears blurring my vision, and the Rowlet's onslaught, I couldn't even tell if he was still breathing. "ALENG!" I ignored the rules of Pokemon battle and stumbled off the sidelines to throw myself between Rowlet and my poor Pokemon. Selene called her partner back almost immediately, but I continue to shield Aleng's still form, sobbing as if somehow, my tears would bring him back. "Please, Aleng… please."

"This battle is over." the Kahuna flatly said. Several more sets of footsteps rushed the stage.

"Hau, Lillie, get Charlee and his Pikipek back to my lab, and heal them." Kukui directed. "I'll try to slow his parents down."

Hau bent down beside me, to spray Aleng with a potion, before scooping him up as gently as possible. "C'mon Chuck, before it's too late for him."

"It's, um...it's this way."

* * *

Although I had made the trip to Kukui's lab countless times before and since, I honestly could not recall the details of this particular journey. Only vague memories exist of Lillie talking about something called a Nebby, and Selene showing up again to protect us from some trainers who felt that I hadn't suffered enough. To think a day ago I would have hated her even more for having to protect me, but all I could think about was poor Aleng.

By the time we had reached the Lab, the potion that Hau had given Aleng was having an effect, and to my relief, the little Pokemon was starting to stir. We set him on Kukui's couch and I watched his health intently.

Meanwhile, Hau began running rampant in his explorations; much to Lillie's chagrin. "Is that a loft? That's awesome!"

"No, it's not! It's private!"

I only shifted my attention away from Aleng when Kukui returned, and he immediately took a seat in front of me. The Professor's smiling facade did nothing to hide the visible stress he was under. And anger. He was probably angry too.

"Hoooo-eeee! Charlee, you in some deep kimchee!"

I tried to look up at him, but I fell just short of his eyes. Hau, Lillie, and Selene took it as their cues to leave for a bit.

"Good news is that you're still a trainer, but because of your two little stunts, you're on your Third Strike. You got Probation, big time cuz. You know what that means, yeah?" My blank expression gave Kukui all the confirmation he needed. "It means you are banned from the Island Challenge, from catching Pokemon, and from training altogether."

There was nothing for me to say.

"You want to know how to fix this? Or are you going to give up now?" I looked at Aleng. For his sake, I should just give up; but the little Pikipek opened his eyes just slightly, and to my surprise, they danced with brilliant blue flames. I wasn't sure what Aleng wanted, but quitting definitely wasn't it. I tried to capture that same resolve when I turned back towards the Professor, and he seemed to get the message. "In that case, it's time for you to go back to Trainers' School."

"Trainers' School?" I echoed, as the weight of his words finally hit me.

"Oh, and I promised your Mom & Dad that I'll tell everybody, to make it as embarrassing as possible." Kukui joked. At least, I hoped he was joking. "Plus, one more thing. Lillie! Keep an eye on our guest while I go get 'it'. Selene, Hau, come with me so I can tell you more about the Island Challenge."

Lillie was never the talking type, so after Kukui stepped down stairs, I turned back to Aleng. I found him fully awake. He tried to stand, but only succeeded in stumbling around on weakened legs. After a bit, Aleng settled for a sitting position and stared at me, expectantly. The Pikipek startled for a moment when I lunged for him, but he quickly calmed down when he realized that my intent was to hug him and never let go.

"Don't scare me like that again, ok?" I whispered. Crud, I had started to cry again.

"Aren't you mad that I threw the match?"

"No...okay, yes! But I'm _way_ more pissed that you let yourself get so hurt back there!"

"Were you really that worried about me?" Aleng asked. I let go and used the brush from my Poke Refresh kit to start cleaning his ruffled feathers.

"Well duh! I thought you were going to die!"

"I almost did. Do you think Selene felt the same about Rowlet?"

"I hope so. That was the point: to hurt her." I made no attempt to hide the bitterness in my voice.

"And do you think that she deserved to be hurt like that?" That question caught me off guard.

"Well yeah-I mean, maybe. You heard me, Aleng! She took Rowlet from me! She-"

"And what did Rowlet do to you? Did he deserve to almost die?" And there it was. The cold, hard truth of it: I had been willing to kill an innocent Pokemon; not for food or survival, but to teach someone else a lesson.

"No." I whispered and put down the brush. "N-no, no one should have to suffer like that, for something so stupid."

"For you _being_ so stupid." Aleng corrected.

"I'm sorry."

"No problem, buddy."

"Aue, you guys, that was amazing!" Kukui was back, with Hau, Selene, and something else. "Most Trainers and their Pokemon can't talk like that for months, even years! You've been together for what, a day?"

"Eh, sorta." I said. "Wait! Aleng's not your partner, how come you can understand him?"

"I _am_ a Professor. But the important thing was that you learned how vengeance can be Toxic."

"So...does that mean I'm off the hook? Off probation?"

"Ha! Not a chance! In fact, give me your pokedex." Reluctantly, I handed him the bulky red device. Kukui turned his back to tinker with it for a bit and in a flash, a ball of living electricity appeared!

"Rotom!" It shouted.

"Rotom, here boy! I powered up your favorite 'Dex." Kukui said. "Give Charlee a Helping Hand, yeah?"

"Zzzt!" The little Pokemon happily complied by zipping into my pokedex. The possessed technology hovered in the air for a moment, before sprouting arms, legs, and a face. "Nice to meet you, pal! Gentle on the goods, ok?"

"Um, ok?"

"Rotom Pokedexes are normally meant to guide new trainers around Alola," Kukui explained, "but in _your_ case, it'll keep an eye on you, and let us know when you step outta line again."

"You mean 'if', right?"

"Eh." he shrugged.

"Cool!" I immediately start playing around with Rotom, while trying to be as gentle as I could...which wasn't very. "We're gonna have all sorts of fun battles together!"

"Y-you can't." Lillie said firmly, or as firmly as she could, anyway. "These Pokedexes are strictly non-combative. Besides, you're on Probation, remember?"

"Just as well with me." Aleng spoke up. "The further that thing stays away from me in battles, the better."

The Rotomdex buzzed with energy. "And whatzzz that supposed to mean?"

"It's nothing personal, but as a Flying Pokemon, I know for a _fact_ that you Electric types are nothing but trouble."

Oh boy. "Aleng," I asked, "anyone tell you that you might be just the teensiest bit racist?"

* * *

Eventually, Hau and Selene went to their own homes, but Aleng and I spent the night at the Professor's Lab. That ensured that we'd go straight to Trainers' School in the morning, plus he agreed that despite my parents' assurances, it was probably not the best idea to head home right away. Between assisting the Professor, Lillie popped in from time to time, checking on Aleng and I. It was nice of her, but my lack of sleep wasn't something she could fix: I was too busy dreading my shameful return to school tomorrow. The one time I finally drifted off, I was awoken by a sparkly cosmic puffball bouncing on my chest.

"Nebby!" Lillie whispered harshly. "You're supposed to stay hidden!" Then she turned to me. "I'm sorry that Nebby woke you, Charlee. Can you please not tell anyone about him?" I sort of just stared blankly for a sec and collapsed back into darkness. Lillie training Pokemon...that's got to be a dream!

* * *

By the time dawn came, Professor Kukui was already gone, but Lillie had remained behind to walk us to the gallows. Not wanting to spoil the morning tranquility, our journey was mostly a quiet one, although the urban ambience noticeably grew as we approached the Haole City outskirts.

"You ready for this, Aleng?" the Pikipek only nodded sleepily atop my shoulder.

"H-how about you, Charlee? Are you going to be alright?"

"I'm good Lillie, thanks."

"Oh, ok."

"And um, thank you for everything else you've done too."

"What do you mean?"

"Well you helped bring us down to the lab yesterday, and the day before that, you tried to make me feel better after the...after the incident with the Starter Pokemon. You're an awesome friend."

Lillie's pale cheeks flushed a bright pink. "I am glad you think of me as a friend. That really means a lot."

"And I'm sorry for all those rumors when you started living at Kukui's."

"W-what?!"

Kukui and Ms. Emily-one of my old teachers, were waiting for us as we passed through the entrance. "Welcome to the Iolani Trainers' School, the place to (re)learn how to be a Pokemon Trainer!"

"Charlee...I should have known." Ms. Emily said. "Professor Kukui, is this the Child you told me about?"

"Yeah. Put him through the wringer, Teach!"

Iolani had a reputation for being strict and unforgiving, but it also produced some of the best trainers in Alola, like Kukui. And me! The only other school that could even compare was Punahou, and that was Kahuna Hala's ala mater. Personally, I think the only thing _that_ school did better was malasadas at their annual carnival. I scanned around at the old, but polished campus. Not much had changed, since I hadn't been away that long. That also meant plenty of familiar faces and-oh goody, a small mob of them had started to gather.

"Hey look everybody, Charlee's back already!"

"Oh man, you one real babooze, yeah? We heard you screwed up hard!"

"Can't believe you got kicked out of the Challenge. What a lolo!"

"Why aren't you in jail yet?"

"Did you really eat another trainer's Pokemon?"

I wasn't sure if I was red more from embarrassment or rage. Both Aleng and Lillie were trying their best to hold me and keep me grounded, but I swear, any longer under this barrage and I was going to snap!

"Four Trainers!" Kukui's words cut through the cacophony, and everyone turned to him. "You've got to beat four Pokemon Trainers here at the school, Charlee! Only then will you be taken off Probation."

"So what you're saying…" I said slowly, "is that all I have to do, is _beat_ four of _them_?" I turned to my former schoolmates. Their looks of taunting joy had instantly morphed into expressions of dread. The larger my grin was, the more they stepped back from me.

"Well, not just that." The collective student body breathed a sigh of relief. "You also have to discover why you ended up here in the first place."

"I'm here because you're making me do this!"

Kukui chuckled. "I mean, what did you do wrong, that got you put on Probation? _All_ of the things you did wrong." He cut me off before I could talk back again. "I'm already saying too much. Four Trainers, Charlee, and if you cannot beat them and learn your lesson by the time the school bell rings, we take your Trainer's License and send you back to Kindergarten, yeah?"

"Fine." I snorted. Still, there was no reason why I couldn't have fun. The grin returned to my face as I once again set eyes on my prey. "Run." The students scattered like Wishiwashi at high speed.

"Professor Kukui," I heard Ms. Emily say; "I'm not sure this is an effective punishment for Charlee's behavior."

"Hahaha, school isn't about punishment, Teach! It's about the learning experience." Kukui laughed. "Besides, better he's locked up here with them, than running wild across Melemele, yeah?"

"Hey, Rotom!" I called.

"Whaazzzuuuupp? "The possessed pokedex appeared alongside Aleng and I.

"Does the pokedex have a music player?"

"And a huge library of songzz!"

"Cool." The ensuing beatdown deserved a good beat. "Bring up _"Unbeatable"_ , performed by David Rolfe."

I only intended to get back at the kids who were teasing me earlier, but none of them knew that! The halls and their many doors became an endless Scooby-Doo doors gag! Even without the battling, It was wicked fun just chasing them through the classrooms and across the playgrounds; opening up the closets they were hiding in and watching them scatter like bugs. Except for when I opened up a closet full of Rattata, and then _everyone_ scattered!

A Youth Athlete, Hiromi, was the first to stand her ground, challenging Aleng and I in a battle of Pikipeks! The two birds matched each other blow for blow, but Aleng's superior strength and experience quickly won out. The finisher was when he flew into the sun, blinding the other bird, before diving down with a gravity-assisted Peck!

Hiromi's defeat put a fresh step in everyone else's shoes. "Keep running! I already graduated from here. I know everywhere you might hide! Every trick you try to pull!" A bunch of the students even tried dropping items to distract me! Hah! Nice try. Because I was also bigger than most of them, I could have easily caught a few if I really wanted to. But forcing fights on others is the one thing I will never do. If we ever do battle, it'll always be consensual. Besides, it's just so much more refreshing going up against someone bold and daring enough to step up to the plate.

The next person to do that was a feisty Preschooler named Mia, and she actually put up a fight with her Bonsly. Aleng hit it with a Rock Smash...and it just stood there! He struck again, and still the little Pokemon seemed unaffected, save for some Fake Tears. Eventually the Bonsly tried Flailing around, which didn't do much, but it's not like we were having much effect either. It took multiple blows to finally bring it down. And that was two. After Mia, Aleng and I ducked inside the school building in search of another challenge. What we found were a ton more little kids hiding behind one of the teachers.

"H-here! Please take this Quick Claw and leave these kids alone."

"Hey, this gift is nice, but you really don't need to-"

"Please just go!" she practically shrieked. The children sobbed even harder. Talk about a mood killer.

"What's with them, Aleng?" This was only a game; they didn't need to act _that_ scared. That encounter took the fun out of the whole thing, so we decided to head outside for some fresh air. Some battles against wild Pokemon would help take our minds off of that encounter, and before long, we were laying waste to a bunch of stray Meowth. Suddenly, something rose from the tallgrass that was neither of those.

"Mag-nemite!"

"Oh wow! I _so_ wish we could catch this guy! Oh well. Hit'em with Rock Smash!" Aleng didn't budge. "Aleng?" My friend stood stock still; trembling in a state of perpetual terror. The Magnemite began to advance; bolts of yellow static began to dance along its body.

"He hatezz Electric typez, remember?" Rotom snapped.

"This isn't hate, he's full on terrified!" I dove in front of Aleng just in time to take the first Thunder Shock! My breath froze in my throat, and I'm pretty sure my heart stopped too. It felt like someone had punched me in the back of the head! My entire body went into spasms for a second, but thankfully I wasn't paralyzed. Of course, I wasn't about to let Magnemite get a second chance, so I grabbed Aleng and tore out of the grass!

"The Magnemite is not following uzz." It was only after Rotom gave us the all clear that I finally stopped. Fortunately, at that point, Aleng had stopped shivering. Mostly.

"You alright, buddy?"

"Y-yeah. I'm...I'm sorry I froze back there."

"Hey, next time, just give us a head's up. We had no _idea_ you were so scared of Electric types.

"I told you, they're a natural weakness for us;" Aleng said; "and they aren't slow like Rock types, or rare in Alola the way Ice pokemon are. I'm just afraid that one hit and...and that will be all it takes!" he was barely able to choke out that last part.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. We get it." I whispered. I began to use the Poke Refresh to calm him down. "I _literally_ know what it feels like now. But hey, I'm still here. And you know what? You are _way_ stronger than you think. Right, Rotom?"

"Statistically, it dependzz on several factorzz," I shot it a look, "but yezz, you should be zztrong enough to withzztand at least one electric attack."

"Thanks guys." Aleng sniffed. "But I still hope we'll never have to find out."

I nodded in agreement. "Now come on, we've got two more trainers to take on. Let's find another kid and kick his okole!"

"There'zz one standing behind uzz." Rotom said.

"What?"

"I-I Joey, am not afraid of you, Charlee! I'll take you on!" the Youngster was scrappy, and I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that we had him backed up against a shed. "I'll teach you the tactics that I learned here at school...by beating you with them!" Yeah, definitely scrappy. I liked that. "Metapod, go!"

"Aleng, you know the drill." My partner flew into battle with an Echoed Voice that struck the immobile insect head on! It was almost like rewatching our battle with Selene. The memory of what transpired, and what I did, suddenly put a huge damper on my enjoyment of this fight. While I was struggling with my own self-loathing, Joey took the initiative.

"Bind his beak shut with String Shot!" Beautiful wisps of silver flew forth in a rain that began to ensnare Aleng's entire head. It was a good strategy, but my Pikipek couldn't be silenced so easily. Another Echoed Voice ripped through the silk and slammed into the Metapod with just enough force to knock it out and finish the battle. "No! Metapod!"

Despite the easy win, I didn't exactly feel like gloating. "Hey!" I started for the distraught trainer, but stopped a few feet away and crouched down to meet him at eye level. "That was a pretty awesome fight."

"R-really?"

"Great job with your Pokemon. I can't wait to fight him again!"

"Ok! Thanks!"

I don't know why, but watching Joey run off with a smile actually made me smile too… until I remembered that he was the third trainer, and "We still aren't any closer to learning our lesson!" What did Kukui want? Aleng and I already had our breakthrough last night about revenge and taking it out on others! That wasn't enough?! I racked my mind for answers, but in my panic, nothing seemed to make sense! This really was like going to school all over again!

"Aleng, can you think of anything that might help me out here?"

"Sorry, but I wasn't there, remember? All I know is that you said something about Selene stealing your Starter Pokemon."  
The thought got me mad all over again. "Yeah, that's right. She did!"

"Did she literally snatch it from your handzz?" Rotom asked.

"No...but she did get to it before I did! I mean, I _couldn't_ get to it before her, so she might as well have stolen it!"

"Why?"

"Because...because-"

"Because you're a lazy screw-up! That's what I heard!" The annoying voice came from Joseph-one of the older kids and a self-proclaimed rising star. "I just got the strongest Pokemon around here and now, I'll use it to take. You. Down. You wanna know why I wanna be the strongest? Because it's cool to be strong, duh!"

Aleng and I exchanged glances. Yeah, we were definitely going to enjoy kicking his teeth in.

"Grimer go!" A pile of yellow and dark green sludge emerged from its pokeball. Well this was something new.

"Aleng, let's go with Peck!"

"Poison Gas!" Aleng sped for his target, but he was suddenly enveloped in a choking purple fog! I had to cover my face to keep the vicious mist at bay, and I could only imagine what Aleng was going through. Coughing and blinded, the Pikipek's Keen Eye ability allowed it to persevere and find his mark! However, both our hearts sank when the Grimer seemed to shrug off his attack with casual ease. "Now use Pound attack!" Poisoned and disoriented, there was no way for Aleng to defend against the assault. This living bio-hazard was pummeling us and we were barely leaving a mark on it; things didn't look good at all.

"Aleng, Echoed Voice!" Our old standby managed to deal a smidge more damage than the Peck attack. It wasn't much, but it was heartening. That moment of hope vanished again when the Poisoning inside of Aleng made itself known.

"Excellent! Ok Grimer, now use Harden, and endure his attacks until the poison takes him out!" Despite our predicament, I grinned at Aleng and he returned the gesture. For all of Joseph's bragging, he must not have known that Harden was useless against an attack like Echoed Voice.

"Same attack, Aleng! Hit him again!" By the time Joseph realized his mistake, the Grimer was dangerously in the red...but Aleng wasn't much better off. I winced when the poison took effect again. We were running out of time. "One more buddy, and hurry!"

"Grimer, Bite attack!"

The deciding play came down to a test of speed, for which I'm eternally grateful that Pikipek excel over Grimer. Aleng was able to strike the final blow and claim victory! Immediately, I set about applying an antidote to remove the effects of poisoning, before restoring most Aleng's health with a Super Potion.

Ding-dong-ding-dong!

With the ringing, came Lillie. "Oh, that's the school bell!" My heart sank. We might have won the fight, but we had failed Kukui's test. No! I wouldn't let it end like that. What was the answer? Winners don't do drugs? Don't drink and drive? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle? My mind started scrambling again for some BS 'knowing is half the battle' messages that I could pass off as my lesson. I wasn't the only one frustrated, however.

"Augh, useless!" I looked up in time to see Joseph smash his pokeball into the ground. Nearby, his Grimer cowered. "Good for nothing Grimer!"

"Hey, what's going on here?!" I wouldn't call it anger, but _something_ flared to life inside of me. If there was one thing I wasn't going to stand for, it was this kind of bullying. Grimer didn't do anything to deserve this.

"What does it look like?" Joseph snapped. "I'm getting rid of a weak Pokemon!"

"Gr-Grime?" I never even thought it was possible for a Poison/Dark type to cry.

"This Pokemon is _plenty_ strong." I snarled at Joseph. "It's up to the trainer to bring out its full potential!" The Grimer threw me a quick, grateful look, and then it disappeared into some tall grass.

"That's just another word for weak! I'm not going to waste time on a Pokemon that isn't strong to begin with." I secretly hoped it would get physical, and that I could use self-defense as an excuse to beat this kid up.

"Listen you little twerp, the only reason that Grimer didn't win was because _you_ screwed up! So don't go around taking it out on others, just because _you_ can't own up for your mistakes!" For split second, I thought I had been struck by another Thunder Shock. "Holy crap." I whispered. "That's it. That's the lesson. Aleng! Lillie! I figured it out!" _Oh my god, I've been as dumb as this kid!_

"Attention, all students…" announced a voice over the PA System, "Would Charlee please come to the office on the 2nd Floor? Charlee to the 2nd Floor please."

Lillie freaked. "What terrible thing did you do to get called to the office so soon?!"

* * *

As it turned out, I didn't even make it all the way to the office. Professor Kukui and Ms. Emily caught me as soon as I reached the 2nd Floor.

"Charlee, I can't believe that you beat all of my students!"

"But you still have to tell us what you learned." Kukui said. "So how about it?"

After all that's happened, you'd think this would have been the easiest part...but there's nothing simple about admitting what kind of a screw up you really are. "I...I was goofing off on the day we were supposed to get Starter Pokemon." I sighed. "And when I missed my turn, I blamed Selene, even when she didn't do anything wrong. That... _all_ of that, was really my fault." It was a struggle to say every word, but when I was done, the feeling was uplifting, almost as if I had been released from a great burden. The expression on my face must have made it obvious.

Kukui smiled warmly. "Well, I'm satisfied."

"But I'm not." Said Ms. Emily. "Not yet. Charlee, you may have passed the Professor's requirements, but you still have to clear my exam!" Aleng and I were drawn into another Pokemon battle before we even had a chance to prepare! No matter. We've come this far today, we can handle one more fight!

"Go, Magnemite"

"Maaag-naaaa-miiitte!" Crud. History repeated itself and Aleng's fear took hold.

"Aleng, remember what we said. You can do this."

"I can't do this."

The Magnemite moved in.

"Listen to me, listen! What type is the Magnemite?!" I shouted desperately.

"Electric!"

"Yeah I know, but what other type?"

"Steel? Steel type!"

"What attack do you have that can really hurt Steel?"

"Rock Smash!"

"Then do it!" Aleng rushed forward and struck Magnemite! The enemy Pokemon reeled from the force of the blow. It was certainly impressive; even Ms. Emily said as much...but it wasn't impressive enough.

"You're Pikipek might know Rock Smash, but it still doesn't have the strength of a Fighting Pokemon. Time to teach you a lesson in Same Type Attack Bonuses! Thunder Shock"

"No!" But this time, I was powerless as the single bolt of electricity consumed Aleng! The air hissed with static and the smell of burning feathers!

When it subsided, however, my Pikipek remained standing. "Ow." To everyone's amazement, the little bird fought off the worst of the discharge! He was gasping, but more from the adrenaline rush than the effort. "I _can_ do this!"

I familiar guitar riff filled the air. I turned to see Rotom using the pokedex to blast the Intense Action Version of the Kanto Gym Theme! Maybe it was the uplifting trill of the electric guitar, or maybe Aleng's confidence had finally caught up with his true power; whatever the case, the Pikipek began to glow with an internal radiance! Aleng's beak lengthened, and his slick crest erupted into a mane of feathers!

"Heh, I thought this might happen." Kukui said.

"Aleng...you're..."

"Your Pikipek evolved into into Trumbeak! Eeeeeee!" Lillie happily shrieked.

The light of evolution scattered when Aleng spread his wings wide, challenging the world with a fearsome cry! The Magnemite, startled by his display, was tripping over itself to get away.

"Magnemite, don't back down. Hit it with another Thunder Shock!" When it finally regained composure, the Electric/Steel type redoubled its efforts! Aleng danced through the air, pulling maneuvers that were deliberately as showy as they were evasive. The entire building hissed and filled with static, but not a single attack made contact!

"Alright Teach, time to remind you just who you're dealing with! Rock Smash!" Aleng dodged one last Thunder Shock with an immelmann turn, and rushed his foe before it could generate enough electricity for another attack! The resulting impact knocked Magnemite back with such force that it became embedded into the school wall!

"This isn't over! Go, Meowth!" But after taking out Magnemite, it was hard to take the pretty kitty seriously. "Fury Swipes!"

One Rock Smash was all it took. "Teach...you've just been schooled!"

"YEEEEEEEAAAAAAHH!" Kukui nodded in approval. "Know your Pokemon and know their moves. Those are the basics of being a trainer."

Someone started clapping...but it wasn't the rousing applause I was hoping for. Instead, it was slow, almost methodical- a clapping the straddled the line between honest enthusiasm and condescension. Then, _he_ , stepped out from behind the Professor. His very appearance was enough to kill my buzz and I started to growl.

"I couldn't help but observe your battles." He said, in that wretched, snooty voice. "You looked so very delightful in battle that I had no choice but to summon you here."

 _Yeah, I'm sure that's the reason, you pink-haired prick!_

"Greetings, Charlee."

"'Ilima."

 **Author's Notes:** I honestly don't plan on making it a habit to release chapters so quickly, but I wanted to get my art caught up to the number of chapters I published elsewhere, and who knows when I'll have more free time? I originally was going to save some of this character development for later on, but well, apparently Game Freak had other plans; the Trainer School scenario presented itself with too perfect an opportunity. Such are the surprises of Nuzlocke runs. Just as well we get it out of the way now. Next Chapter is going to get pretty intense as we learn about Charlee and Ilima's past history. And then some.


	3. PokeRap-Battles of History!

The Team so far:  
 **Charlee**

Species: Human

Nature: Naughty

 **Aleng  
** Species: Trumbeak

Nature: Rash

 **The Rival: A Pokemon Moon Nuzlocke**

 **Chapter 3: PokeRap-Battles of History!**

"Greetings, Charlee."

"'Ilima."

"Ah, I should have known that you were already acquainted!" Either Kukui was too dense to sense my animosity, or he was getting some kind of sick kick out of this.

"Yes. We were both in the same class." 'Ilima said pleasantly.

"'Ilima was one of our best and our brightest!" Ms. Emily sang. "To think you were able to advance so quickly and become a Trial Captain!" I clenched my fist. Did she think that being a fast learner somehow made him _better_ than me-er, I mean, the rest of us?

"Please Ms. Emily, it was all thanks to the excellent instruction I received. That is why I make it a point to visit you regularly; and it looks like Charlee had the same, wonderful idea. " 'Ilima might have been making a show of modesty, but I could see right through his sick little game! He turned to me, that stupid grin of his, never wavering. "I look forward to seeing the brilliance of your moves in my trial." He might have said it with a straight face, but I knew he was being sarcastic to me! I KNEW!

Aleng deliberately stood between us so that one act of wanton violence wouldn't undo all that we just accomplished. Fine. I could play 'Ilima's little mind game too! "I very much look forward to showing them to you. Maybe I could even teach _you_ something." I made sure to flash him a toothy grin.

"Indeed." His good-natured smile remained, but on reflex, the Trial Captain began to rub his wrist. So he _did_ remember. Good. 'Ilima looked at Aleng, as if inspecting my partner. As if _judging_ him. "Perhaps you'll want to fill your team out a bit before attempting my trial? I sincerely look forward to your challenge." The snothead turned and left after that. Well, I wasn't about to let him get away that easy! Aleng took off right behind me, leaving the Professor and Ms. Emily to share a look of confusion.

I don't know how, but the creep managed to slip away from us. Instead, we found Lillie waiting for us outside the school gates. "Charlee! Over there!" She gestured at some sort of gathering further up the road. The first thing I could make out make out was Hau, jumping up and down. Then I saw Selene, with the Kahuna and one of the local Tauros. To my astonishment, the bull allowed Selene to stroke its nose, and even returned her affection.

"Here in the Alola Region, the Pokemon lend us their strength and let us ride about on them! The Poke Ride Pager allows you to summon Ride Pokemon for the express purpose of transportation."

"It's seriously the best way to get around!" Hau chimed in.

"Woah, awesome!" I had always wanted to ride a Pokemon like that. In my head, I was already imagining how easy it would be to get through downtown traffic on a Tauros. Heheh...through. "Can I get one too?"

"I told you before, I'm not letting any of my Pokemon near you. You are lucky to still have yours at all." Hala said flatly. He turned to his grandson. "Hau, why don't you and Lillie show Selene around Hau'oli City? I'm sure it must be her first time here." My friends took the hint, and off they went. When Hala was sure that they were out of earshot, he turned back to me. "Just because you're off Probation doesn't erase the things you've done, and you need to remember that you're on thin ice. As Kahuna of Melemele, I'm only allowing you to catch one Pokemon in each new area you visit. Rotom! Make sure he remembers that."

"Yezzir!"

"You can't be serious!"

"Do you want even more restrictions?" I stared defiantly at him, but the old man was unwavering. "You wouldn't have made it this far if you didn't have potential, but that won't mean anything if you don't fix that attitude of yours." As always, his parting words had a way of shocking me into speechlessness.

After a moment of recovery, I turned to Aleng. "Well you heard him, we only have one Pokemon we can catch in Haole City, so let's go make a new friend!"

As it turned out, we had already made one. I hadn't taken three steps into the nearest patch of tall grass when a Grimer leaped out!

"I got this!" Aleng cried, but the Grimer made no move to attack.

"Wait a sec!" Something about this Pokemon seemed familiar. "I...I think it's the Grimer from school!"

"How can you tell? They all look the same!"

"Aleng, what did we say about being racist?"

"Grime." The sludge Pokemon shuffled awkwardly towards us, its arms clutched to its chest.

"She zzayz she wantz to thank you." Rotom helpfully translated. "For zztanding up for her after the battle."

"She? And how can you tell it's a girl?"

I ignored Aleng. "You're welcome!"

"She also wantzz to join your team."

That was a bit less easy for me to accept. "Wow, I'm honored...but Poison types were never really my thing-"

" _Now_ who's racist?"

"Hey, it's an environmental issue! Malama 'aina!"

The Grimer started to cry big, greasy tears. Great. Just great.

"Look, I didn't mean it that way. I'm sorry." I hated making others cry. Unless it was on purpose, of course. "Tell you what, Grimer. If you want to be a part of this, you have to fight us for it! Again!" I still wasn't sure about having a Grimer on the team, but I felt sorry for her. Call me a softy.

"Grime-grime?"

"Yeah, I want to see what you can do without that dumbbell Joseph holding you back. What'd ya say?"

"GRIIIMEE!" The battle played out much differently than before. Instead of wasting time with Peck, Aleng kicked things off with Echoed Voice! The viscus sludge of Grimer's body rippled under the shrill onslaught! Grimer, for her part, stuck to the Poison Gas, but suddenly, she switched tactics and went straight for a Bite attack! Aleng was a lot stronger than the first time we fought, but weakening the Grimer was tricky now, because we had to make sure we couldn't send her over the edge and kill her. More importantly, because Aleng was poisoned, we were working against a clock as well.

"Ok, one more Echoed Voice, and then switch to Rock Smash!" That did the trick. As we hoped, our change-up caught the Grimer off guard. "Pokeball, go!"

And with that, we had caught our first Pokemon!

* * *

I won't lie: that battle was tough on all of us, so the first place we went next was the Pokemon Center. That's where we ran into Hau. Apparently he was on his way to get some malasadas (again), while the girls went to...go shopping? I don't know what girls do to have fun, ok? After an intense morning though, I thought some doughy fried comfort food would hit the spot too.

"Which one we going to this time?"

"Leonard's, on Kapahulu. By the way, I also got you this!" Hau gave me the Poke Finder App for the pokedex. I had Rotom auto-install it.

"Thanks man. You didn't want to try the new Sunset shop on Wai'alae?

"Nah brah, too far. I can't wait that long!"

The ancient malasada shop had been a standing tradition since before we were born. Like any respectable bakery, they offered a selection of pastries, pies, and other tasty treats. I won't lie though, it was malasadas that put them on the map. Aged neon signs and flickering bulbs really sold the feel of an old-school establishment, but the greatest form of advertisement wafted through the air as an unmistakable, fresh-baked (and fried) aroma.

"EEEEEEEEKK!" Someone shrieked from inside. That was definitely new. There was a massive caterwauling accompanied by the sounds of smashing pans and bowls, before a flood of people came streaming out at top speed!

"Rattatas!" Another customer cried. Since it looked as if Leonard's wouldn't be open for any time soon after that, Hau and I both rushed in to erm, 'save' as many of the tasty treats as we could. Inside, three of those pesky rodents were crawling over the counter.

"Hau, you grab the goods. I'll deal with the pest problem! Grimer, go!" It was awesome having a new Pokemon on the team! After only one Harden, Grimer was all but impervious to the combined attacks of the Rattata! What was once soft sludge was suddenly strong and rubbery, able to repel the worst of the Rattata! Of course, Izzy's offenses left a lot to be desired. That was ok though; our job was just to keep the vermin distracted.

"Hmm, we got original, cinnamon, li-hing...hey Charlee, you want Haupia filling in yours?"

"Just hurry up and get all of them!" Once Hau collected enough malasadas, it was time to go. "Grimer, use Poison Gas!" We tore out of there before the smog started to spread and then we slammed the doors; guess the Rattata would have to find their own way out.

"Shoots, that was nuts!" Hau exclaimed. "I never seen Rattatas in the day like that!" Having said his peace, he immediately began savaging one of our hard-earned snacks.

"Hey, don't hog it all, man!" Hau was quick to toss me one-it was a chocolate filling. I preferred plain, and insisted on another. Ohohoman! I couldn't tell what I liked more! The crisp, brown skin, dusted with sweet, sweet sugar...or the rich, warm, doughy interior. Seeing as I still had one more, albeit with chocolate filling, I gave it to Grimer. "Here you go. You earned it."

"Really? Thank you!" she said. So apparently, catching Pokemon lets me start understanding them. Huh. "My old trainer never gave me anything like this!"

"Really? Thatzz zo sad!" Rotom exclaimed.

"Yeah, that reminds me. Grimer, I wanted to ask, did he ever call you anything?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did he ever give you a name? I feel kinda awkward about calling you just Grimer all the time."

She thought hard for a moment. "Izzy!"

"Izzy?"

"Yes! He would always call me 'Izzy' when he was asking his parents about me. 'Is he the strongest you could find? Is he going to evolve one day?' Questions like that."

"Ohmygod thatzz even sadder!"

I had to agree with Rotom. "Y'know, since you're with us now, you can probably change that name, if you want."

"No thank you! You are very kind, but I want to keep it!"

"Suit yourself...Izzy." I winced. It would take a while until we got used to calling her that.

"Yo, Chuck!" It looked like Hau had finished what must have been his third malasada. "I got a few extra. Your other Pokemon want?" I nodded in appreciation and called Aleng to eat alongside us. Hau did the same for his. I made note that he had both an Eevee and a Pikachu on his team already. Never know when I might face him in a fight, so it was better to be prepared. Hau didn't seem to share that sentiment, though. "Who could resist giving their Pokemon a few malasada, eh? They're just so cute!" After our snack break, Hau said something about going to the Marina and screaming at his grandpa. Good for him.

As for me, I was going to find a new place to catch more Pokemon...until I overheard someone saying, "I saw those Team Skull numskulls loitering around the Marina again. I reported it to the Captain, of course."

Captain? That meant 'Ilima! Oh, I had him now! "Come on guys!"

* * *

As expected for the middle of the day, the main street of the shopping district was choke with tourists! What I wouldn't have given for that Tauros right about now. Somehow, we managed to weave and flit through the throng, like Cutiefly amongst the flowers.

"Remind me again why going after this guy is necessary." Aleng asked. "What did he even do to you in the first place?"

 _Two Years Ago in Math Class:_

[Charlee used Rest.]

['Ilima used Wake-up Slap!]

[Charlee used Bite!]

 _End Flashback._

"He tasted like spam." I chuckled at the memory. "But they gave me a butt-load of detention for it!"

"Sounds like it was your own fault for falling asleep. Didn't we just learn an important lesson about not blaming others?"

"Hey, no one asked 'Ilima to wake me up; that was his choice and his alone!"

Aleng sighed.

"Maybe he was truly acting on the nicest intentions." Izzy suggested. The sheer insanity of her theory caused me to trip and fall face-first on the sidewalk! That's my story and I'm sticking to it. My cheeks, nose, and forehead were burning when I came up, though whether it was from the heat of the concrete or its rock content is anyone's guess.

"How could you say such a thing?!"

"Well...he was always the gentlest person when he visited the school, and everyone only had nice things to say about him!" Her words stung me more than the cuts that now perforated my face.

"No one can be that nice! It's all an act, and he _knows_ it pisses me off more than anything else!"

"Charlee, have you ever thought that your temper might be the problem?" Aleng asked. How DARE he! "I mean, _if_ he is as bad as you're saying, the way you react would be just what he wants, isn't it?"

"So...you agree with me, then?"

The Trumbeak made sure to choose his words carefully. "I'm just saying, maybe keeping a level head will help us stay out of trouble in the long run."

"And maybe give Mr. 'Ilima one chance?" Izzy asked, with more than just a tinge of hope in her voice. The very thought of it made my blood boil. Izzy must have seen the expression on my face. "Y-you're not mad at me, are you?"

I breathed deep. _Really_ deep, and reminded myself that Izzy didn't do anything wrong. "No...I can't be mad at you." I reassured her. I rubbed her head affectionately, and my hand immediately started to burn. Oh right, she was made of toxic sludge. Deep breaths. Not mad. "Maybe a little _annoyed_ , but for you, fine. I'll give him a shot."

"Yay! Thank you!"

"Well, it's a start." Aleng said.

"Still gonna kick his butt in a battle, though!"

* * *

'Ilima was already interviewing bystanders and taking notes, like always. The nerd. He noticed us as we arrived and nodded curtly. The waves generated by a south swell solidly pounded the peer, sending up blossoms of salty foam! It was the perfect atmosphere to declare my challenge!

"'Ilima, I Charlee-"

"Please hold that thought." I was stunned that he would interrupt me. "As you can see, I am currently investigating the whereabouts of Team Skull."

"Yo, yo, yo, check it!"

"Ah, nevermind."

Great, another one of my least favorite things in the world: rappers.

"But as I was saying, Charlee, before I can accept your challenge, I must see to my duties and bring these offenders to justice."

"C'mon Cap, don't be dissin' us, foo!"

"Back off goons! He's dissing _me_! I mean, wait-"

"Only thieves steal people's Pokemon. I won't stand for it. Charlee, I'll ask you to take care of that one. I'll take this one."

"What? No!" But one of the identical goofballs was already coming at me. Stupid 'Ilima! "Grr, you're just lucky I hate thieving rappers too! Izzy, Bite!"

"Zubat, use Supersonic!" The soundwaves hit Izzy at point-blank range, but she just sort of plucked the Zubat straight out of the air and shoved it in her mouth.

"Om-nomnom!" Before I knew it, Izzy was done biting and was trying to swallow Zubat whole, like Hau and one of his malasadas.

"Stop Izzy, what are you doing?!" I probably wouldn't have cared as much if this Pokemon wasn't someone's partner. Even if it was Team Skull.

"Zubat, no!" All the shouting seemed to confuse Izzy more, making her nervous. And apparently, when she gets nervous, she eats. God, it was like watching Cookie Monster go to town on a Pokepuff!

"I said spit that thing out this instant!" Finally, she seemed to have snapped out of her confusion, and started heaving the way a Litten might hack up a hairball. A moment later and the Zubat came tumbling out in a ball of bile and sludge. It rolled to a stop with a wet flop at it's trainer's feet, twitching pathetically. Gross as all hell, but the gangbanger's expression was priceless!

'Ilima tapped my shoulder. "Excuse me, Charlee, would you mind terribly if I borrowed your pokedex for a moment?"

"What?!"

"Team Skull needs to realize, under no uncertain terms, that I want them out of this city. To that end, I intend to defeat them in a way that they can understand. Rotom, I would like to request your assistance in setting the mood for our battle."

The Rotomdex nodded. "POKE-RAPBATTLEZZZZOFHIZZTOREEEEEEEEEEE! Team Skull...VS...Captain 'Ilimaaaaaaa-BEGIN!"

 **"Yo step back, Cap! Your Pokemon's ours!**

 **We gonna beat you down and leave you covered in scars!**

 **You think you're so fancy just 'cuz your teeth are so white,**

 **But while you were learning to read, we were learning to fight!**

 **Team Skull's in the house, and we don't screw around,**

 **So say your prayers now; Drowzee use Pound!"**

 _"Team Skull, you say? Who are you trying to impress?_

 _Your odor's atrocious and your clothes are a mess._

 _You're as thick as your name! Your skills? A delusion._

 _Your Drowzee's so dumb it hit_ itself _with Confusion!_

 _Yungoos, my friend, it is time to use Leer._

 _Show these utter failures who the Captain is around here!"_

 **"You think you're so tough? You're hair's frickin' pink!**

 **Our 'tude is so huge, it'll make your poke-balls shrink!**

 **You call yourself Captain, but we think you're mislabled.**

 **Drowzee, now's your chance! Stop his move with Disable!**

 **What kind of lame type is Normal? You sure you're doing this right?**

 **Next, use Hypnosis, Drowzee! Nighty-night!"**

 _"Hypnosis is a miss and your technique is a farce!_

 _You're supposed to shout your commands, not talk out of your arse._

 _Yungoos, Pursuit! They wasted their chance._

 _They may talk a big game, but they have none in their pants._

 _For all of your bluster, you're no threat to this city._

 _The only time you take our money is when we give it out of pity!"_

"Who won? Who'zz next? You de-"

"Uh, Rotom?" I pointed at the fainted Drowzee.

"Oh."

"Let's get up out this port, B!"

Regardless of what I felt about 'Ilima, I had to say that was kind of impressive. Didn't make me _like_ him any, but hey, respect when respect was due. "Hurry up and arrest them so we can get a real fight started!" I demanded impatiently. I said respect, I never said how much.

"Unfortunately, it seems they were too incompetent to actually commit any crime, and as a Captain, I only have authority to deter and disperse, not to arrest." I would have punched him then and there, had he not followed with, "Charlee, my thanks to you and your Pokemon."

He _was thanking_ me _?_

"Why don't I heal your team to express my gratitude?"

"Thanks, but we didn't really take any damage, so no need." That didn't mean I didn't appreciate the gesture, though. Maybe Izzy was right about him.

'Ilima smiled, and for once, I thought it looked genuine. "I know what you really want anyway. Very well then, allow me to see if you are ready for my trial." With that, our battle began. FINALLY!

Since Izzy was rearing to go, I sent her out first against his Yungoos. Seriously? I had expected more from a Trial Captain.

"Izzy, use Harden!"

"Leer." Eesh, the little egg-sucker's eyes pierced even my nerves! So much for our attempt to increase Izzy's defense. With the Poison Gas strategy shut down, we settled for just biting 'Ilima's Yungoos into submission. It was actually over pretty quickly. Yungoos and 'Ilima were pretty limited in moves. They tried for a Tackl After the first time Izzy's poisoned 'teeth' hammered into them, but that just gave her the chance to Bite Yungoos again! I think it was at that point that 'Ilima thought he could throw us off by using something exotic. Enter his Smeargle. I answered with Aleng, and he answered with Rock Smash! Against a Fighting type attack, Smeargle's silly little paint brush was well, a silly little paintbrush. Honestly, I was disappointed; a Trial Captain fight was supposed to be one of the defining moments of this journey. Still, a win was a win!

"Woo! Good battle 'Ilima! Now gimme that sweet, sweet badge!"

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, no excuses. Badge me, mon capitan!"

Honestly, that was the first time I ever saw 'Ilima look _confused_. For a moment, I thought he was at a lost for words. "Charlee, I'm sorry but you are mistaken. I'm a Trial Captain, not a gym leader, and we do not give badges in Alola."

There it was again: that unpleasant, seizing feeling growing at the back of my skull.

"Island Trials aren't simply battles. You have to complete a series of tasks, as chosen by the Captain. They spent an entire semester teaching us this back at school."

I was speechless. The sounds that I _could_ make from my mouth could have been the effects track for _The Exorcist_.

"If it is any consolation, you and your Pokemon are certainly ready to take my trial."

"Oh, I'll be taking _something_." But I already knew what was going to happen: Aleng would get between us, and Izzy, well, she thought so highly of this guy. Why the hell did I have to love my Pokemon more than I hated Ilima? "Know what? Maybe I don't want to take the lousy trial." I stomped past him and made for the West Side with my Pokemon close behind.

"Charlee, I don't know if it helps, but we were impressed that you held yourself back." Aleng said.

I huffed. "I still don't like the guy...but he didn't really do anything bad on purpose, so it's not like I can get away with taking him down."

"We're still proud of you...I think."

Izzy nodded. "Thank you for being nice to Captain 'Ilima." Now there was a sentence I never thought I'd hear. "So what will we do now?"

"I became a trainer to win badges and catch Pokemon. And they're all out of badges."

* * *

The heat of the Alolan day gradually faded into the comfortable warmth of late afternoon. While Haole City still thrummed with energy, Route 2 on Melemele's West Side maintained an almost defiant tranquility, as if it was deliberately rejecting the fast-paced city lifestyle.

Of course, the way we were depopulating the area, it was doubtful that the West Side would have any life left at all afterwards. Despite our intentions, there was actually very little on Route 2 that was actually worth catching. It seemed that the entire area was filled with Pokemon introduced from Kanto. As far as I was concerned, we could stand to do better. For the record, it wasn't as if we were mercilessly killing everything that moved. Only the wild Pokemon too stupid to quit and run were the ones that died. There were a lot of those. They were very, very stupid.

Obviously, we were also able to test our skills against some of the trainers there, but the battles weren't exactly intense.

"Welcome trial-goer!" A Beauty shouted. "Think you can handle-"

"Izzy, use Bite!" And that was pretty much it. Of course, as strong as Aleng and Izzy were getting, they might end up taking everything out with 1-hit KOs soon. Finally, however, after an eternity of grinding, we at last found a Pokemon that stood out from the rest! It was different, it was sleek, it was...a Yungoos.

"The sunzzz going down soon. Thizz might be your only chanzze to catch it." Rotom advised.

"Fine. I'm tired of looking anyway." Since this thing was going to be a part of our team, we were going to catch him as a team. First Aleng wore him down with a single Echoed Voice. Then Izzy switched in, letting her high defenses soak up the Yungoos' counter-attack. After several Hardens, Izzy was all but impregnable, and the lightest of Pounds put our target into the red. Catching our first wild Pokemon was going to be as easy as haupia pie. I grinned eagerly as the pokeball made contact and sucked the Yungoos inside!

POP! It burst out again, hissing angrily. Out of spite, the Yungoos struck Izzy with a Pursuit attack! Thank god we had Hardened her to a ridiculous degree. I threw another pokeball and POP! He was out again! Pokeball! Pokeball! Pokeball! POP! POP! POP!

We had like a hundred of the things, but this was getting ridiculous. "Izzy, see if you can pin him down!" But the swift carnivore never let the Grimer get close.

The Yungoos chittered a cry for help, but the sky had already darkened; he was on his own.

"We can keep this up all night, Yungoos. One way or another, you're coming with us!"

"Goosgoosgoos-yung!"

"He izz saying that he doezzn't have time for your gamezz."

"Well that's fine, because we're tired of playing 'pop goes the...well not really a Sneasel, but you get the idea!

"Please let him catch you!" Izzy begged. "You can't survive the night with so little health."

"Yungoos! Yungyung!" It replied, but apparently, what everyone except me heard was {Then I'll die doing my job! I don't have time to waste being some kid's pet.}

Izzy paused. "Your...job?"

{I'm tracking down some big-time trouble makers right now, and it's hard enough without you clowns getting in my way!}

When Izzy and Rotom translated as much, it gave me an idea. "Say, Yungoos, how's about we catch you, heal you, and then we'll _help_ you in your mission?" He paused to give my offer a quick thought. While he was distracted, I threw another Pokeball and BAM! Third Pokemon for my team!

* * *

"You ASSHOLE." Yungoos shouted at me after we visited the nearest Pokemon Center. Evening had fallen, so we decided to spend the night. "You sick, lying son of a-"

"Hey, we were wasting too much time playing 'telephone'. Caught or not, my offer still stands."

There was no english translation for the snarl of loathing that he sent my way. "Oh yeah sure, great offer. Why should I even trust you after that?"

"Hey, I'm a busy trainer who's got other things to do." I lied. "If I didn't want to help you on your little quest, I wouldn't have offered."

Yungoos growled. "It's not a quest; I'm not dumping some jewelry into the nearest volcano, here. I'm working on a case. To bring down the Rattata Mafia."

I burst out laughing and attracted the confused looks of more than a few other people in the Center. "Rattata Mafia?"

"It's true, I've heard of them." Izzy offered helpfully.

Aleng nodded his head in agreement. "They're pretty organized; it's no joke."

"Rattata in a Alola are often found to be working for Alolan Raticate." Rotom offered.

"Yeah, except this ain't like that." the Yungoos insisted. "They've never been this organized before. My boys can't even touch'em. They're getting bold; even striking in broad daylight!" His comments brought me back to our earlier run-ins with the Rattata swarms. "You know what that says? That says, 'there's a new Boss in town'. One that's got bigger and smarter plans. The Pokemon I talked to? They call him...Wo Fat."

"And this 'Wo Fat', he's the one getting them to mess up the malasada shops and infest the schools?"

"That's just the start. We keep twiddling our thumbs and he'll take the whole city." the Yungoos threw up his arms to really emphasize his point.

"Then it's settled!" I said. "If this rat really is all that, then we're helping you bring him down. You have a name, Yungoos?" _Please don't be Trump, please don't be Trump..._

"Nothin' you could pronounce."

"Then I'm calling you Danno! Welcome to the team!"

"Woah hey kid, I still never said yes. And team? You got what? A bird and a walking oil spill."

" _And_ Rotom and I. Plus you. Together, we're ALOLA FIVE-0!" Rotom began playing the appropriate theme music.

"...Count me out." Danno started to leave. Aleng was the one who cut him off. "What? You going to try and stop me, Big Bird?"

"You just said none of the other Yungoos could do anything. What do you have to lose by teaming up with us?"

"More than you know, pal."

"Please give us a chance." As always, it would be Izzy's disturbing sincerity that would win hearts over. She had to be the sweetest living bio-hazard in all of Alola, if not the world. "Help us help you. This is our home too!" How could a Pokemon so disgusting pull off such adorable puppy dog eyes?

Danno sighed. "I'm not gonna get rid of you otherwise, am I? Fine, but only on a trial membership."

Haha, this was going to be awesome! "Yes! So what's first, Danno? How do we track this rat down?"

"First we gotta find a way to _take_ him down. He's tougher than your regular Raticate, but I think I can bust his over-sized nuts if I can pull a Z-move on him."

"A...Z-move?"

"With a Z-Crystal. I'm a Normal type, so best one to use is Normalium Z. From what I hear, they got a stash up in Verdant Cavern nearby. They're prizes for something you trainers call an 'Island Trial'".

"Trial?" Aleng echoed.

Izzy blinked. "Then, that must mean we have to go see..."

* * *

"Ah, Charlee, I'm happy to see you again." 'Ilima cheerfully said.

CRAP!

 **Author's Notes:** The character of 'Ilima was based on a classmate of mine. I still can't say if he's evil or not, but he did (and still does) talk like an insufferable know-it-all. By STUNNING coincidence (no, seriously), apparently today is his birthday. Incidentally, the little flashback sequence also happened. I definitely never envisioned ending up with a Grimer, but that's part of the fun of Nuzlocke runs. Afterwards, Izzy kind of grew on me, and I hope she grows on you too. And now we also have Danno! Hope this makes up for catching zero Pokemon in the previous chapters, haha.


	4. ALOLA FIVE-0!

The Team So Far:

 **Charlee**

Species: Human

Nature: Naughty

 **Aleng**

Species: Trumbeak

Nature: Rash

 **Izzy**

Species: Alolan Grimer

Nature: Timid

 **Danno**

Species: Yungoos

Nature: Sassy

 **The Rival: A Pokemon Mahina(Moon) Nuzlocke**

 **Chapter 4: ALOLA FIVE-0! (Part 1)  
**

"Ah, Charlee, I'm happy to see you again." 'Ilima cheerfully said.

"I changed my mind. The Rattata can have Haole City."

All around us, rhythmic ocean waves purred on the shoreline. The sun had barely risen, but it gave the five of us an uncompromised view of 'Ilima waving from the Verdant Cavern entrance.

Against my wishes, Aleng was shoving me ever-closer. "Come on, Charlee! You promised that you would help Danno get the Normalium Z if he joined the team."

"But it's 'Ilimaaaa!" I whined.

"Whom we, including yourself, agreed was actually a nice guy."

"The other trainers had already come through last night, and I was beginning to wonder if you would actually show." Said the 'nice guy'.

"Lets just hurry up and do this." I grumbled.

"Ah, spirited as ever, I see! Very well, this way."

Izzy paused just before the Island Trial Gates located at the entrance. Warily, she eyed the looming darkness. Guess spooky holes in the rock weren't her thing, but Danno wasn't having any of it.

"Let's go, Izzy. If I'm going to be part of this 'FIVE-0' team, so are you."

To everyone's surprise, however, the vista within was anything but foreboding. Holes in the cavern ceiling seemed to channel concentrated sunbeams that illuminated the area with an almost otherwordly light. The air was cool and wet; refreshing, even. Lush moss and ferns glimmered with crystal dew to create an almost ethereal presence.

"Beautiful!" a wide-eyed Izzy exclaimed. I had to agree. This magical place was the perfect venue for our first trial.

"Welcome to Verdant Cavern! Now, I know first hand that you are accustomed to more...traditional Pokemon battles, so just for you, this trial will be _simple_. Just defeat all of the Pokemon that make their den here."

"Huh. That'll be easy enough." This was technically a different area from Route 2, so maybe I could also…

"By the way, until you clear the trial, you will not be able to catch Pokemon in Verdant Cavern." Suddenly, the Trial Gates slammed shut behind us. "In addition, you will be unable to leave until the trial is complete." 'Ilima added cheerfully.

 _Keep it together, he's just obnoxiously nice._ I reminded myself. "Any other 'surprises' we should know about?"

"GRR!" The entire cavern shook, and this time it _definitely_ was not my stomach. Danno began to hiss.

"No, I do believe that's it. Good luck!" I gave 'Ilima a halfhearted wave as we left him at the entrance. At least he wouldn't be hanging over my shoulder the whole way.

"Am I the only one zlightly conzzerned about the noizzzee we just heard?"

I brushed off Rotom's 'conzzerns'. "It's probably just the ghost of Nanaue."

"Nanaue?" Danno asked skeptically.

Aleng tried covering his ears with his wings. "Not this story again…"

"Yeah, before this place was Verdant Cavern, people used to call it, Makua Cave. Some say there's even a saltwater pool hidden back here, so I'm guessing it connects to the ocean somewhere underground."

"And Nanaue is…?"

"I'm getting to that. Legend has it that Nanaue, the Sharpedo-man, used to live in here. He was the son of a human mother and a powerful sea god. Some versions even say his dad was Kyogre himself! Anyway, in the stories, Nanaue would sit outside this cavern looking all normal, and warn people that were going to the ocean, 'watch out for man-eating Sharpedos'."

"Wow, that's very nice of him!" Izzy said.

"Then he'd run inside this cave, jump into the water, turn into a Sharpedo, and swim out to eat whoever was stupid enough to ignore him!"

"Not nice! Not nice!"

Even Aleng was a little unnerved. "And you're not bothered by these stories?"

"Hey, it's not like we're going swimming. Besides, being able to turn into a Pokemon would be hella-cool!" But even as I said that, I couldn't help but feel like there was a powerful presence watching our every move.

Danno must have felt the same. "This place might be your idea of a romantic evening, but I don't like this, and it's _not_ because of a Sharpedo." he said. "I smell a rat." As if right on cue, a Rattata lept out from a tunnel! Chattering what must have been a distress call, it was suddenly joined by several others.

"You sure it's just one?" Aleng snapped. As one, ALOLA FIVE-0 rushed forward to meet their attack!

It became quickly apparent that the majority of the Rattata attack was focused on Danno. Perhaps it was a genetic rivalry between their species, or maybe they simply recognized him for past attacks on their kin. Danno might even have considered such recognition to be an honor...had the Rattata not been trying to tear out his throat! For every one he fought off, two more Tackled him! More and more, it was becoming difficult for him to strike back. At this rate, it wasn't be long before he was overwhelmed! There were just too many for Danno face alone. Good thing he wasn't alone.

"Oh no you don't!" This wasn't really an official Pokemon battle, so there were no rules to stop his trainer from running over and punting a few of those rodents away! Their rib-cages collapsed like paper lunch bags with each kick from my sneakers! Turns out, when you hit them really hard, they make a squeaky noise and drop some items. Fun!

"Thanks."

"Hey, we're a team, right?" I checked on the rest of our team.

Even against superior numbers, Aleng and Izzy had no problem plowing through the Rattata ranks. The Trumbeak was almost casual in the way he thrust his beak forward, creating multiple furry explosions among the horde, with Rock Smash after Rock Smash! And Izzy, well, Izzy learned a new attack!

"Acid Spray! Did you see? Did you see? Let me do it again. Acid Spray!" More than once, the rest of us had to dodge the splash from her attacks, but the little Grimer's excitement was as contagious to us, as it was demoralizing to our enemies!

As a non-combatant, Rotom did his best to stay out of the Rattata's reach. "Thizz izz highly irregular. My data sayzz that Yungoozz are suppozed to inhabit thiz cavern!"

"They were! That's why I never bothered to search for Rattata here!" Danno tackled another Rattata to the ground.

"Hate to tell you guys, but it looks like your data needs updating!" Aleng continued to Rock Smash his way through another bunch of Rattata. Pieces of the stone cavern went flying along with pieces of his opponents! The ones that survived scrambled to their feet and called a retreat.

"Don't let them get away!" Danno shouted frantically. He tried rushing after them, but the injuries he sustained kept him from getting very far.

"They're regrouping, so we should too." I said. The team formed up around Danno, and after he was healed with a potion, I began cleaning grime and dust off the other Pokemon. "Whatever happens, we stick together. Last thing we want is for them to split us up."

"That was just a feint; they're probing our strength." Aleng started preening on his own. "Next time they come at us, it'll be hard and fast."

Danno nodded darkly. "Like my ex-wife. We'll just have to hit them harder. Aleng, let's take your Rock Smash to the next level." the Yungoos held up one of the items that the Rattata had dropped: TM31-Brick Break!

We all agreed that sitting around and waiting was stupid, so we pushed forward to explore more of the cave, and were quickly introduced to the darker side of 'Verdant Cavern'. Despite it's beauty, Makua had it's share of dangers, even without Nanaue or the Rattata Mafi-ahahaha. I'm sorry, I still can't call them that with a straight face! It may have been a trial site, but Makua fell far below minimum safety standards. Slippery moss lined the edges of great cracks in the cavern floor. Many old fissures were bridged by narrow, rotting pieces of wood. Hardly OSHA-compliant. We were only too glad that the Rattata didn't strike while we were halfway across. No, they decided to come at us right afterwards, when our backs were against the ledge!

If they were planning to push us over the side, they were in for a nasty surprise. "Izzy! Keep up the Acid Spray to blunt their assault! Aleng! While they're off-balance, take out as many as you can with Brick Break! Danno! Pick off anyone who tries to flee, using Pursuit! Rotom! Play whatever music you think sounds good right now."

The cave echoed with epic battle riffs, and the air filled with the acrid smell of caustic chemicals! As we planned, the Acid Spray might not have killed any Rattata outright, but those that made it through had no chance against Aleng, not that they would have had a chance to begin with. The ones that were foolish enough to stay at a distance were wiped out by successive Acid Sprays, and the ones that retreated, well, you already know.

"Thizz strategy izz zuper-effective!"

We pushed our way forward from the edge of the cliff! The Rattata were quickly dwindling in number, and it wasn't long before they called another retreat!

Unwilling to make the same mistake twice, Danno was quick to pin one before it could escape with the others. "Not so fast, Speedy! Where is she?!"

The Rattata was squeaking something unintelligible, although I thought I detected a faint Mexican accent.

"Don't play dumber than you are. TALK!"

"W-who are you looking for?" Izzy asked Danno first; then she turned to the Rattata, "Who is he looking for?"

I was only picking up half of the conversation, but by now, I think everyone was curious. "Izzy, why don't you give him another taste of your Acid Spray at close range. Aleng, hold his mouth open."

{Woah! Woah! Woah! Ok!} it squeaked when it finally caught on. Rotom translated as much to me. {Your girl's with Walt. He's got her in the back den!}

"Girl?" Aleng asked.

I bent low enough to the Rattata so he could smell my very breath. Judging by his expression, it probably wasn't much better than Izzy's acid. "I can't understand you, but you can understand me." It nodded vigorously. "When we let you go, you're not going to stick around this cavern are you?" Now it shook vigorously. "Good. Because if any of us even _think_ that we see your greasy face again, Aleng here is gonna turn his Brick Break into Jaw Break, just. For. You. Got it?" He did. "Danno, let him go." The Yungoos growled, but complied.

{Andalay! Andalay! Arriba! Arriba!}

"Girl?" Aleng repeated.

"My girlfriend. And her name's Jasmine." Danno answered quietly. He had come this far with us, so there was no point in keeping . "Bringing down the mob is only part of why I'm here. Getting her back…that's the other half."

{I'm going to make sure that you fail at both! Haha!} a ridiculously squeeky voice shouted. On a ledge across from us was a beast much larger than any Rattata. Any by large, I mean fat. A Raticate!

"Is that Wo Fat?"

"No. That's Walt." Venom dripped from each syllable. "He's the creep who's got Jasmine!"

"Then let's get him!" We rushed forward, but the Raticate was fast for such a chunky Pokemon. He vanished down an impossibly small hole a split second before we arrived!

Suddenly, he was on another ledge! {You have to do better than than, haha!} The same scenario repeated itself as we neared him. Every time we approached, the cretin would dive down another hole! The fat bastard knew this place better than we did!

"He'zz leading uzz deeper into the cavernzz!" Rotom warned.

"I'm not letting them take Jasmine." Danno barked, his voice edged with desperation. "Not when I'm so close!"

"How did they even get her in the first place?" Aleng pressed.

"Wo Fat found out about us. His goons thought having her close would keep me off the case. They don't know me very well." Danno's resolve intensified with every step.

Something about what he said bothered me, however. "It might not have stopped you, but you said they were still able to keep all the other Yungoos away. And how did they take over this trial site? I don't care how strong you say Wo Fat is...these grand schemes and operations...it sounds like they had human help to pull all of this off."

"But who?" asked Rotom.

"Yo, yo, yo!"

"You've got to be kidding me." The Team Skull twins were as stupid looking as ever. I refused to believe that they could be smart enough to team up with the Rattata.

"It's your Berry thief boys, back...back again! Remember us?"

 _Berry thief?_ "Sorry...who are you?"

"Yo, check it bro, this ain't the girly that busted us up at the farm!"

In hindsight, they were probably referring to some encounter with Selene. Of course, in the heat of the moment, I was focused on only one, important thing: "Did you just call me a GIRL?! Izzy, use Bite!" That numskull rapper brought out Drowzee to protect himself. It worked about as well as a wet paper bag. While my Pokemon was dealing with the Drowzee, I body-slammed the trainer!

"This kid is straight up dangerous, homie!"

"Got that right, jive turkey. Now, look _real_ close. DO I LOOK LIKE A GIRL TO YOU?" My voice shook the cavern and all of a sudden, the Grunt was trembling on an entirely different level.

"Yo, kid! You know there's a mad strong Pokemon lurking back here somewhere, right?"

"Madder and stronger than me?" There was no right response to that. "I'd run, if I were you."

His partner was too stupid for his own good. "Naw, we're not going out like that! We gotta get our revenge!" For a moment, I just sort of stared at him. Then an idea began to form; I looked at the Grunt, flapping his lips...and I grinned.

It wasn't easy, but Aleng and I managed to shove the mouthy Grunt into one of the Raticate's escape tunnels! His shoulders and torso were a bit big, so we all took turns applying our feet to his okole (translation: kicking him in the butt) until he was nice and snug in there!

"Alright you," I said to the remaining gangbanger, "you can either stand nicely in front of that other hole, and block whatever comes out, or we can stuff you in there like we did with your boyfriend! Your choice."

"For real?! Fine! I got no bones to pick with you!"

* * *

With his beloved on the line, Danno wasted no time in picking up the Raticate's trail again. "You're not getting away this time, Walt!"

{That's what you think, haha!} It dove into another hole! Imagine his surprise when when he tried to take the back way out, only to find it blocked by Team Skull!

"AH! RATICATE!"

{AH! HUMAN!} I wasn't sure who was screaming louder. With Walt's options limited, he lead us through most of Verdant, before passing through one last massive tunnel. Up ahead, we could hear him squeaking something. {Your boyfriend's getting close, girly; it's time to go!}

"Jasmine!" Suddenly, we were in a grotto, with pure, unfiltered midday sunshine streaming down on us! Ahead of us, the Raticate called Walt was tugging violently at the arms of a distressed-looking Rattata. "Get your paws off of her!" All of Danno's anger manifested as Dark-type energy and his Pursuit attack finally connected with the Raticate! But in spite of Danno's power, the Dark/Normal rodent managed to resist his attack with relative ease. The huge rat glared at his stunned attacker with feral malevolence.

What neither of them counted on however, was Jasmine herself, using the distraction to break free and exact hellish female vengeance on her captor! The smaller rodent hissed like some sort of Meowth-Seviper hybrid and struck from everywhere at once in a flurry of Quick Attacks! Under such an onslaught, Walt's attempts at defense were an utter failure; it was not unlike my dad when mom started yelling at him for coming home late.

"Wow, you really know how to pick'em." I whispered to Danno. He just stood there, stunned as any of us.

At last, when it seemed like the Raticate was finally adjusting to Jasmine's attack pattern, she changed it, and struck him head on with a single, well-placed Tackle! When the dust cleared, she glared menacingly at her former captor, daring him to make a move. When she was certain that he wasn't getting up anytime soon, Jasmine finally turned towards us.

{Babe! You came for me!}

Danno was speechless, but seeing her, he didn't need words. The two embraced in the most passionate kiss I'd seen outside of cheesy romance movies. Pun not intended.

"Oh come on! You're dating a Rattata?!" Was all Aleng could say.

'Jasmine' broke off the kiss just long enough to spit. {And what of it? I have a thing for guys who get in way over their heads.} She turned back to Danno and gazed lovingly into his eyes.

"I was tailing her for information, and the more I learned, the more I fell in love." Danno returned the gaze and grinned mischievously.

"That's so beautiful! They're like star-crossed lovers!" Izzy was gushing with emotion. And toxins. She was always gushing with toxins.

It was Rotom who summed it up perfectly. "Dezpite mazzive diversity, many speciezz of Pokemon are compatible in relationshipzz. A Yungoozz and a Rattata pairing iz actually quite tame, compared to 'Hot Skitty-on-Wailord Action'."

"Eeew!" Said _everyone_ , in perfect unison.

"They better come up with a content filter for that pokedex." Danno snapped. "Let's just grab the Normalium Z and get out of here."

"Oh, but you can only get the Z-Crystal after you defeat the Totem Pokemon!" A voice seemed to laugh at us from all sides; deep as the abyss and rougher than cheap toilet paper. "And ALL of his ally Pokemon!" The shadows around us came alive with glowing red eyes! Makua Cave filled with the sounds of squeaking, and dozens of claws scrabbling over the rocks. The six of us turned back the way we came, only to find our path blocked by more Rattata than we could count!

No one bothered to say the word 'trap', but you can be sure that everyone was thinking it. Slowly, the army advanced; a creeping tide of chittering, oversized buckteeth.

"Jasmine, my child! Even in your betrayal, you have served the family well!" the gloating voice seemed to finally have a source. Looking upwards, I saw what must have been the biggest Raticate ever, perched atop the ledge! Dude, he was huge! I've seen smaller Wailmer than that! In one of his paws, he clutched a _pile_ of Oran Berries that he occasionally popped into his mouth like gumdrops. Something that gargantuan must need a crap-load of food to keep moving.

"Him. He's Wo Fat." Danno said.

I shook my head. "Correction: He's Woah, REALLY Fat!" The tittering blob seemed to eclipse the sun! But I thought I could just barely make out the shape of a human, advancing behind the beast. Sunlight suddenly caught a shock of pink hair.

"It'zz Captain 'Ilima!"

Never before had I been so glad to see that snob. "'Ilima! Hurry up and take out that Raticate! They've overrun your trial and...you're with them, aren't you?" Even from this distance, I could see that stupid smirk on his stupid face.

"No! S-say it isn't so!" Izzy shouted desperately.

I was speechless. Well no, not really. "HA! I TOLD you so! He really IS a stuck-up, know-it-all, JERK!"

"Even a broken clock like you is right sometimes, Charlee. Of course, broken things still need to be...disposed of."

"Attack!" Wo Fat shrieked. The Rattata rushed forward from all sides!

"Woah, hold up! Timeout!" I threw up my hand and the horde stupidly paused, with confused looks on their faces. "So let me get this straight, 'Ilima. You did all of this, you teamed up with all of _them_ ," I pointed at the rodents, "just because we whupped your butt yesterday?"

"No, you idiot-"

"Oh, then it's because I bit you in school."

"NO!"

I never realized how fun it was watching someone get mad. What an idiot! _Crap, is that how I always look?_

"You egotistical, self-centered fool! Melemele thrives on tourism...tourism that cannot exist if Rattata are running rampant! When Wo Fat's army becomes too much to bear, I'll be a hero for 'stopping' them! When Hala retires, I will even be the next Kahuna!"

"You're wasting words and precious time, 'Trial Captain'." Wo Fat snapped, in between mouthfuls of berries.

"Hey Fatty-Ratty!" I shouted. "You too scared to come down here and sit on us yourself?"

The Totem Pokemon chuckled. "I am fully aware of what your Trumbeak is capable of. Rest assured though, when he is no longer a threat, you will get your wish. But until then…" he snapped the fingers on his free hand, and the attack resumed! His minions converged on us; tsunami of fuzzy darkness!

"Give these creeps all you've got, guys!" The trial site erupted into violence! For encouragement, Rotom began blasting _Run Around_ by Jason Radford. It seemed appropriate. Four days into this journey and we were already in for the fight of our lives! Unlike the first two Rattata before, we were surrounded on all sides, and the Rattata just kept coming! As it turned out however, quantity in no way made up for quality. With each kick, another Rattata went sailing through the air in hilarious agony. And there were so many targets, it was hard to miss! I began making a game of seeing if I could punt the next Rattata further than the one before it! This wasn't a fight, this was kickball practice!

Having Jasmine back by his side imbued Danno with renewed energy, and the pair of them rapidly tore through the Rattata coming their way! Jasmine would strike out amongst her brethren using Quick Attack! At such speed, it was hard for the other Rattata to tell her apart from their comrades, and among the confusion, Danno would start picking them off with Tackle!

Aleng, equipped with his new Brick Break, was literally plowing through the rodents in droves! Every energy-enhanced blow he struck sent dozens of the Dark/Normal nasties flying in every direction! Aleng had even picked up a new attack! But we decided to keep it in reserve, just in case.

My main concern, however, was Izzy. She had to have been absolutely heart-broken, now that she knew the truth about 'Ilima. But as the Rattata piled on her, the Grimer suddenly erupted in a violent volcano of sludge, acid, and rage! The sheer sight of her forced her attackers to give pause. Big mistake. "You low-lives! You despicable, black-hearted, MEANIES!" That's my girl.

"Arrgh!" My moment of pride cost me when a Rattata used the chance to sink its teeth into me! Pain burned into my shoulder and anger surged through my very veins...and I knew the _perfect_ way to vent it! Violating several (more) animal cruelty laws, I grabbed my attacker by it's tail and yanked him off of me! The little beast spat and clawed uselessly as I whipped it over my head. Then I used the Rattata as a living weapon against his own comrades! The prospect of being bludgeoned to death, or ending up _as_ the bludgeon, sent a good number of them into retreat. It was awesome! "BEHOLD MY RAT-FLAIL!" I think I saw a cat do it once.

Aleng was next to cry out! In light of his Break Break, the Rattata had suddenly _tripled_ their efforts to overwhelm him... and it was paying off!

"Everyone, close ranks around Aleng!" Instantly, I was by his side, flailing away at his attackers! "You ok, buddy?"

"I've been better."

"Charlee, I'm running out of power points!" Izzy reported. "We can't keep this up much longer!"

"These guys won't back off unless we take down their boss!" Danno shouted. "And he's too smart to come down here!"

"Oh! If there wazz only some way I could fight!" Rotom wailed. "All I have are thezze uzeless apps!"

That was all the inspiration that Danno needed. "Rotom, if you got the Poke Finder App, bring it up, fast!" I'm glad at least _someone_ had an idea.

Danno and I exchanged looks and instantly, I saw his plan in his eyes. After a brief moment, he turned away to glare at our foes high above us.

'Ilima and Wo Fat were still staring down on us. When the Raticate chief noticed Danno bearing his teeth in malice, the great rodent couldn't help but gloat in between his berry bites. "This is your final hour, Yungoos; any last words?"

"Yeah: say, 'Cheese'!"

Suddenly, Rotom flew to my face and I began snapping as many incriminating pictures of 'Ilima and Wo Fat together, as possible! When the Rattata started tackling me to the ground, I threw the pokedex back into the air. "Stay out of reach and start sending those pics to as many people as you can! Kukui! Hala! EVERYONE!"

That certainly got their attention, and it was satisfying to see 'Ilima lose his cool so frequently. "Stop that Rotom!" All of the Rattata instantly turned away from us and refocused their attacks on Rotom, but the pokedex was already too far above their heads, and was well into sending the incriminating pictures to anyone with a cell phone. "Wo Fat! His Trumbeak is down, so get in there and destroy that pokedex!"

The Totem Pokemon let out a terrible shriek and summer-saulted off the ledge! He landed with an earth-shattering crash that cracked the stone floor, and probably crushed a few of his own subordinates in the process. Like Slaking Kong swiping at planes, the Raticate lunged for Rotom with his one free hand, and he even resorted to biting the air with his gnarly yellow fangs!

It was just the distraction we needed. "Aleng, go!" In a flash, my partner was flapping his wings and hurtling at the preoccupied Raticate! It was time for the Trumbeak's trumpcard, "Use Pluck!" The berries from Wo Fat's paws were suddenly in Aleng's mouth, and after swallowing it, his health instantly returned!

"No…" The wicked beast turned slowly, almost mechanically, towards Aleng. My buddy waited, patiently charging energy until his beak crackled with energy; just long enough for Wo Fat to fully realize how screwed he was. Brick Break to the face! It was like watching a small mountain fall. The way he hit the ground, it certainly felt like it too! With their leader dead, the Rattata no longer had the incentive to keep coming. My Pokemon quickly began to mop up any of the stragglers, which left me to tie up the last loose end...

"YOUR BUTT IS MINE, 'Ilima!" The bloated belly of the Totem Pokemon proved to be a surprisingly effective trampoline as I hopped up and down, trying to boost myself closer to 'Ilima's perch on the ledge. The dirty coward ran. "I know where you live!" I turned to my team. "He's not getting away that easy. Everyone, out of the cave!" I paused, glancing back at the lovers. "And yes Danno, that means your girlfriend too!" We were no longer bound by the silly rules of this stupid trial!

[Jasmine was added to the party!]

 **Author's Notes:** If you're ever on the West Side of Oahu, check out the real Verdant Cavern/Makua Cave. Just be sure to bring an offering for Nanaue and the ghosts of his victims (unless you care to join them -_^) I originally intended for this to be a single, larger chapter, but I decided to split it into two parts for pacing and greater character focus. Since the other part is pretty much done though, I hope to have it up before the end of the year. As always, comments and questions are always appreciated. Please enjoy!


	5. Ilima's Last Stand

The Team So Far:

 **Charlee  
**

Species: Human (male)

Nature: Naughty

 **Aleng**

Species: Trumbeak (male)

Nature: Rash

 **Izzy**

Species: Alolan Grimer (female)

Nature: Timid

 **Danno**

Species: Yungoos (male)

Nature: Sassy

 **Jasmine**

Species: Alolan Rattata (female)

Nature: Naughty

 **The Rival: A Pokemon Mahina(Moon) Nuzlocke**

 **Chapter 5: 'Ilima's Last Stand  
**

We burst from Makua Cave with such speed that we nearly collided with Professor Kukui and Hau!

"Chuck! We got the pictures you sent!" Hau exclaimed.

"Great we're-"

"They were terrible!"

Professor Kukui noticed how furious I was getting, and quickly added, "But they _are_ clear enough for us to convict 'Ilima."

"Good! Then we're going after him now. Come on!"

But the Professor shook his head. "Nebby went missing, and we have to help Lillie and Selene look for her."

 _Nebby?_ The name sounded familiar; but we didn't have time for that now! "Whatever. Good luck."

"Same to you, cuz!" Hau shouted at our retreating backs.

* * *

The relaxed, soothing music of the infirmary did nothing to slow the runaway freight train that was my pulse, but as much as I wanted to take 'Ilima down, it wasn't worth risking the lives of my exhausted Pokemon. Besides, he wouldn't get far. Like I said before, I knew where he lived!

Although many of Haole City's buildings remained lit, the tranquility of night had settled over the city. All of us did our best to maintain that silence as we crept up to the door of Illima's sprawling estate. Like the douche who lived here, the residence screamed privilege. An ivory house of precious coral stone was nestled on a lawn as rich and as green as the money that paid for it. Even the massive double doors were solid koa. It was almost a shame to destroy them. Oh, who am I kidding? Smashing some of 'Ilima's stuff would make my night! Through a series of wild hand gestures, I communicated to Aleng that I needed him to use Brick Break on the count of three. I mouthed, One...Two...

Suddenly, his dad opened the door. "Hello, you must be one of 'Ilima's friends! Come on in!" Well, that was easy (ie, no fun at all).

The Gentleman smiled jovially, even as a small parade of Pokemon followed me into his house, although he did give Izzy and Jasmine a second glance. Our 'host' seemed to be his son's opposite in appearance and disposition. Where as 'Ilima had long locks of pink, his father's scalp sported short, silver strands. The preppy duds of my nemesis were supplanted by his father's casual floral alola shirt. Most jarring of all was that this man's kindness was truly genuine- a refreshing surprise from the false sincerity that seemed to ooze from his offspring. I almost felt bad for deceiving the man, but we had a job to do. One that I was going to enjoy.

"Any friend to my son is a friend to me!" Ok, that one stung my conscience a little.

 _It'll be fine,_ I told myself, _as long as he just let us go find 'Ilima…_

"Just one thing, though. I'd like to hear what you think of my boy. Is he doing a good job as a captain?" Tonight, the word 'crap' is spelled A-W-K-W-A-R-D. I swear I heard Rotom sniggering.

"I er...I'm not sure."

"Sorry, I probably shouldn't have asked you something like that out of the blue...Our 'Ilima is like a different person when he battles-you can see it in his eyes!"

 _Oh yeah, I can see it alright._ One way or another, this man was in for a world of heartbreak tomorrow. The least I could do for him was to keep my comments to myself.

"I've always been a little worried about whether he would do all right as a captain. Sorry to hold you up. If you're looking for 'Ilima, he's in his room." FINALLY!

'Ilima's room was easy enough to find upstairs, and after another round of crazy silent gestures, we were ready to break down the door. Again. One...Two...Three…BAM! "ILIM-uh, where is he?" The room was empty, save for an open window; the shades fluttering in the breeze. "CRUD!"

"No other signz of life detected here." Rotom reported.

"Looks like 'Ilima flew the coop." Aleng said. All of us stared at him. "What? I'm a Flying type, I'm allowed to say it."

"Where else could he go to hide?" I asked.

Danno crossed his paws. "Ok, let's think. This brainiac is on the run, so wherever he's going, it has to be secure, and it has to be familiar. Some place where he can feel right at home and-"

It suddenly hit me! "Holy crap, I know where he's going!"

* * *

It was pitch-dark when we finally arrived back at Iolani Trainers' School; Hala was already there with a load of police vehicles. Ms. Emily and some of her students were huddled together off to the side; a few of them were sobbing. Looks like 'Ilima's little secret was really out now.

The old Kahuna actually acknowledged me. "Charlee! Good work exposing 'Ilima. You can leave the rest to us now."

"The hell I am!" I snapped, but Hala gave me one of his 'I'm serious' looks again.

"Kahuna Sir!" One of the officers saluted. His full tactical gear was barely a shade lighter than the night sky and emblazoned with the yellow letters, A-P-D. A helmet and visor obscured all but his mouth and chin. "We surveyed the building. The suspect has barricaded all known entrances, and one of the students is unaccounted for. We believe that 'Ilima may be using him as a hostage."

"Joey! He took Joey!" the Youth Athlete Hiromi cried.

"This is grim." Hala said. "He can last for weeks in that building, and we have no way of getting in quickly."

"There might be a way." Jasmine spoke for the first time. "The school was one of my gang's first safe-houses. 'Ilima might be blocking the human entrances, but I don't think he knows about the ones we use to slip in and out."

"Interesting." Hala looked my Rattata in the eye. Apparently, he could understand her too. "Can you lead my men in, little one?"

"I know the way," she began, "but your boys are out. Too big."

"Plus, they're too bound by protocol." Danno stated. "I'm betting that a respected student like 'Ilima was good enough to study up on your rules and exploit them. Anyone going in has to be unpredictable and chaotic. Even insane."

One by one, all eyes fell on me. "Oh come on, really?"

* * *

It was ultimately decided that due to his size (mostly his beak), Aleng would have to stay in his pokeball as we made the trip in. The same went for Izzy, because I didn't want to chance that her stench might tip 'Ilima off.

Initially, Jasmine even asked Danno to stay behind. "Yungoos don't do well after dark, and you're already exhausted, Babe."

"I almost lost you once. No way I'm going to let us be separated again."

Together the two of them, plus Rotom, and I, needled our way inside via the storage shed. I could definitely see why the police wouldn't make the trip. Even I was having a hard time squeezing through entrances barely large enough for a Raticate to get through! It _was_ pretty fun though-sneaking around school and night, tunneling through secret passages! I just had to stay focused on _why_ we're doing this: to kick ASS!

Before long, we were negotiating the musty vents and crawl spaces of the main building itself. If anyone else's eyes were burning, they didn't complain. At certain points, the dust was so thick that we were afraid to breath. Every muffled sneeze from Danno and I instantly re-triggered the fear that we had given away our positions! Jasmine led the way, pausing every few steps to wait for us. Dark as it was, we were lucky to even see a few feet ahead of us. Finally, on the second floor, I thought I began hearing the faint cries of a youngster. They quickly grew in volume as we neared, until I was sure we were at the right room.

"Stop your sobbing! Real trainers don't cry!" 'Ilima chided. His demands had the opposite effect on Joey.

"Poor kid." Jasmine whispered; the resolve to rescue him hung heavily in her voice.

Rotom was sent through an air vent for recon. After an eternity of waiting in the dark, he returned with pictures of 'Ilima pacing the far wall of the windowless office. Joey was in the corner, rightfully terrified, with Smeargle guarding him. Joey's Metapod was off to the side, not moving. Every piece of furniture had been piled up against the door, but considering how well we were hearing them, the walls couldn't have been that thick.

By the time that everyone was in the ready position, my heart was racing a mile a minute! It wasn't really fear at this point; I actually think I was excited more than anything else. I channeled that energy into my best Kool-Aid Man impression.

"Oh, YEAAHH!"

Well, that got his attention...and the look on his face was PRICELESS. In a flash, Jasmine Hyper Fanged her way through the wall beside Smeargle and then Hyper Fanged her way through him as well!

I threw Aleng's pokeball! "Brick Break through the door and then get Joey to the cops!" Then I turned to 'Ilima. "I told you running wouldn't work."

It took a moment for his shock to wear off, and when it did, all the stupid-head did was laugh! For a moment, I was sure that he had lost his mind. "Breakneck Blitz!" Suddenly, a bolt of brown lighting came out of nowhere and floored Jasmine!

In an instant, Danno was at her side; she was breathing, but only just. "That...hurt."

Her boyfriend was as relieved by her survival as he was confused. "H-How?"

Jasmine smiled weakly. "Focus Sash. Swiped it off the old Kahuna."

Danno returned her smile for only a moment. Then he glared at the surprise attacker, but his eyes widened in shock when he recognized who it was. "Chief?!" Now we suddenly knew why the other Yungoos couldn't stop Wo Fat's operations. 'Ilima's Gumshoos chuckled darkly.

'Ilima couldn't resist taunting us. "Have you not seen the movies? There is _always_ a corrupt officer manipulating the operation."

"Haven't _you_ seen the movies, 'Ilima? Those crooked cops always get their okoles handed to them!" I threw Izzy's pokeball, but before the fight could begin, Danno stopped her!

The look in his eyes...I knew it all too well. "Take a seat. This one is mine."

"Book'em, Danno!"

The Yungoos rushed forward, channeling an energy that none of us knew he had! His every step, every stride, was fueled by an intense, personal desire for justice! For his beloved Jasmine, for his fellow Yungoos, for FIVE-0, he threw everything he had into a Tackle!

But the Gumshoos barely seemed to feel it; his grunt was almost one of disappointment. The evolved Pokemon returned Danno's gesture and knocked my partner clear off his feet!

Danno's vision was spinning, but he struggled to rise and ready another attack.

{You are such a disappointment, Danny-boy.} Gumshoes was upon him! The next Tackle sent Danno crashing into what had once been a desk; the wooden remains erupted into a shower of well-varnished splinters. {All this pain, and for what?} Battered and bleeding, Danno tried to find room to counter-attack, but there was no escape! Gumshoos slammed him straight into the wall using Pursuit! Somehow, Danno remained conscious through it all, even as a vicious migraine raged through his skull, and the entire room seemed to blur. In all likelihood, he was concussed. {Always thinking you can make a difference. Never knowing when to quit.}

"You're only half-right." In spite of the obvious danger, Danno used what energy he had left to stand up to Gumshoos in an act of final defiance. Gumshoos pinned him to the wall, but to its consternation, the would-be victim continued to smile. "I don't know when to quit. But I _do_ know when to use Bide."

Gumshoos' eyes grew wide. He tried to get clear, but Danno had already drawn him into point-blank range! The single Bide attack unleashed enough energy to pay Gumshoos back for all of the pain he had caused, with double the interest! The Stakeout Pokemon cried out in incomprehensible agony as the sheer power ripped through him! The force of the blast leveled another wall in the school building, serving as Gumshoos' execution _and_ burial.

Meanwhile…

[Charlee used Body Slam!]

['Ilima used Scratch! It's not very effective...]

[Charlee used Bite! It's super effective!]

He still tasted like spam. Before I could take another chunk out of him, a massive set of arms firmly, but gently pulled me away!

"Like I said before, good job. Now let us handle it from here." Hala then noticeably less-gently picked 'Ilima up by the collar of his shirt. "'Ilima Cunningham, You have disgraced yourself, your school, and the Island Challenge. As Kahuna of Melemele, I hereby strip you of your rank as Captain, and place you under arrest!"

Watching 'Ilima squirm and sob was the happiest moment of my life. "Rotom, tell me you recorded that."

"It'zz already viral on youtube."

"Charlee! Come quick!" Izzy cried in a voice heavy with urgency. Why do I never get a chance to enjoy anything?!

It was Joey's Metapod. Izzy barely had to check for a pulse before she sadly shook her head, and it was easy to see why. The poor Bug type had suffered a vicious tear in its carapace. Through the grievous injury, we saw undeveloped wings and damaged flesh; the beginnings of a Butterfree that would never be. Of all the emotions overwhelming me, the one I least expected was confusion. By this point, Aleng and I had killed and eaten at least a dozen of these Pokemon in the wild. So what was it about the death of this one bother me so badly? I barely even knew this Metapod before tonight; why did this hurt almost as much as losing one of my own friends?

* * *

A cheer went up as we stepped outside. It was the first honest show of appreciation we had ever received...and yet we had never felt more miserable.

Aleng gave me a quick nudge. "I know it sucks, but put on a smile for now. They need something to cheer about." For once, I was too tired to argue. It was never so hard to pretend to be happy.

"Yo! Chuck!" Hau was jumping up and down again to make sure I noticed. Beside him, Selene looked at me warily, while Lillie smiled and clasped her squirming dufflebag tightly to her side.

"I guess you guys found Nebby, huh?"

"We did!" Lillie said happily.

Hau laughed. "Yeah, but what about you? Heard you went and busted 'Ilima, eh? Bet after that, Tutu's Grand Trial will be piece of cake!"

The words were lost on me. "...Grand Trial?"

"The final test on Melemele Island." Professor Kukui came out of nowhere, along with Hala. "A battle against the Kahuna for the Fightium Z-Crystal."

"But in your case, we'll make an exception." Hala conceded, with only a hint of hesitation. "What you accomplished tonight, the way you rescued that boy… consider that your own, personal Grand Trial. Take this."

[Charlee obtained a Fightium Z!]

Although I'd never admit it out loud, I was glad to miss out on fighting the Kahuna. My heart just wouldn't have been in it. "Mahalo, Kahuna Hala." It felt weird being so formal, but at the same time, it also felt like the right way to act. "But, I couldn't use these crystals even if I wanted to. I never got my Z Ring."

The Kahuna sighed and tossed me one from his pocket.

Lillie's eyes doubled in size. "I thought only the Guardians' chosen ones could obtain these!"

The old man's laugh reverberated from his belly like a pahu drum. "That's just what we tell new trainers to boost their confidence. The material for these Z Rings are _ridiculously_ easy to get!"

" _Tapukokokoooooo!"_ The cry of Tapu Koko rang out through the night, followed by the unmistakable flush of a toilet.

"And it looks like we just got some more!"

Hau and Selene stared at the rings on their wrists with disgust. I made the decision to keep mine in my backpack for a while. At least until I could figure out if Hala was joking or not

To my surprise, it was Lillie who broke the awkward silence. "Um, excuse me Charlee! I'm sorry, but I have something to ask of you." Saying even that much was visibly taxing on her. Lillie paused to collect her thoughts before proceeding. "I'm not a trainer like you, Selene, or Hau, but I still want to do my best to help Nebby." Lillie glanced at something squirming jostling in her bag, and I was suddenly reminded of that weird dream I had, about a Pokemon bouncing on my chest. "After Selene and Hau complete their Grand Trials, I plan to go with them to the other islands. We might find more answers about Nebby when we visit some of the other ruins. It-it is my hope that you can come with us."

It would make sense to continue the Island Challenge..."Thanks for the invite, but there are a few things I still need to take care of. It wouldn't be right to make you guys wait."

Lillie was visibly dejected, and that only made me feel worse, but Kukui only smiled that knowing grin of his. "Tell you what, Charlee, it's already late, plus Hau and Selene still need to finish their Grand Trials, yeah? You do what you have to do, and when you're ready, why don't you meet us at the Hau'oli City Marina?"

I nodded in appreciation and Lillie suddenly brightened. That made one of us. Satisfied, they left my Pokemon and I to face our adoring public.

* * *

It wasn't hard to find Joey among the crowd- he was surrounded by his family and friends. Most of his friends anyway. "Th-thank you for saving us, Charlee." he smiled weakly. It was something his parents had told him to say. Joey's tone, his inflections...they were asking about something else. Someone else. I bent down to his level; it felt so different than when I had done it a day before; when I said I wanted to fight his Pokemon again….

"Joey...I'm happy you're safe. And Metapod would be happy too...but he didn't survive his injuries. I'm sorry." That was the best I could do. It wasn't good enough.

"Metapod...Metapod was protecting me!" The tears in Joey's eyes...those were the same tears I shed when I thought Aleng was lost. I almost started shedding them again. I looked over and saw my partner saying something to Danno. When they both noticed, Aleng faced me, and the look in his eyes told me what to say next.

"And Metapod did a great job. That's why you're here right now. And that's why you need to be strong for him."

"S...strong?"

"The things that happened to you...they would be hard even for a grown-up, but don't let it stop you from training Pokemon. Make new friends and battle with them, for Metapod." I couldn't say for sure if that was what Metapod truly wanted, but I had to say what I thought would help Joey move past this. Someone nudged my side; it was Jasmine. She wordlessly shifted her gaze from me to him, and smiled sadly. I wish I was misunderstanding what she wanted. "Joey, I know you've been through a lot, but I need your help now."

There was confusion in his eyes, along with a spark of curiosity.

"This Rattata... Jasmine, she was hurt really bad by 'Ilima's Pokemon. She'll need a strong trainer to help her recover and be the best she can be."

Joey looked at the Rattata for the first time and wiped away some tears, but he didn't say anything. He looked back at me.

"Can you be that trainer?"

Again, Joey looked from me, to Jasmine, and, after a long while, back to me. The Youngster on a brave face. "She...she'll be in the top percentage of all Rattata!"

Somehow, it just felt right. Seeing Jasmine laugh happily in Joey's arms convinced me that we had made the right choice, even if it was a hard one. Of course, my next goodbye would be even harder. "So I'm guessing you want to stay on Melemele to hang out with your girlfriend?"

Danno smiled sadly. "Jasmine is only part of why I'm staying here. Getting Hau'oli back on track, that's the other half." I lightly punched his shoulder. "Woah! Hey, easy! I'm still banged up!" Danno might have been new to the team, but the bond between us was still there, which meant losing him would be like losing a part of myself.

Somehow, I found the strength to speak. "Make sure you don't let anyone else catch you, k?"

Danno laughed and shook his head. "I'm always gonna be FIVE-0. Stay out of trouble so I don't have to bail you out." We both knew what the odds on that were.

"Alola, Danno."

Rotom and Izzy joined me in bidding him farewell.

"Laterzz!"

"Goodbye Danno!"

The Yungoos waved one last time and took up a guarded position behind Jasmine and Joey. I had expected Aleng to say good bye as well, but it took me a moment to realize that he wasn't even there. I scanned the area again, but my partner had vanished!

"Aleng!" No! I couldn't lose him too! My heart beat faster than I-

"Over here!" Aleng circled once and landed in front of me. Relief flooded through me, dowsing the fire that had spread through my blood.

"Jeeze! Don't disappear like that! Where were you?"

"I already said my goodbyes when you were showing Jasmine to Joey." He began to preen for the upteenth time that day. "Danno agreed that we needed someone to fill the empty spot on our team." Aleng paused to call over his shoulder, "Over here!"

"Ruff! Ruff! Rockruff!"

"Pona? Pona!" The chocolate furball barreled through a forest of legs and made her way to my outstretched arms! Any questions I had about what and why could wait. I was just happy to see her again! A sphere of red and white was lodged in her mouth. Could it be? When she drooled it into my hand however, I was surprised to see what it really was: a baseball.

"If you want to take our dog, you'll have to have the right pokeball." I looked up to see dad, just standing there. With one hand, he gently tossed the real deal: Pona's pokeball.

"You really mean it?" I hated that it made me sound like a little kid, but after all that's happened, I was ok with that.

"She needs the exercise anyway." Dad smiled and eyed Aleng and Izzy. "Your team is...interesting, but I think you could benefit with at least one more Pokemon."

I returned his smile.

"Just remember, because you ran away, you're grounded for a month when this Island Challenge is over."

"You can't be serious."

"Hey, if your mother were here, _you_ would be the one going into this pokeball. If she ever asks, I couldn't find you."

I nodded, but after a brief second, that didn't feel like it was enough. I ran up to my dad, and wrapped both around him as far as they could go. My head pressed deep enough into his belly to hear his stomach gurgling. "Thank you, dad. I love you."

"Just promise me you'll be safe, Charlee."

We both knew I couldn't do that, but I nodded anyway to set his mind at ease. "Make sure you stay safe around mom, too!" As dad left, we collectively turned out attention back towards the distant Marina. It would be dawn soon, and we had a boat to catch. 

**Author's Notes:** For the record, neither Danno or Jasmine died during this portion of the Nuzlocke run. However, I thought this would be a better send off than just putting them both in the box. Rest assured, their roles in this story aren't through yet. When a character _does_ die, you will know. And yay, I finally caught my Rockruff! This concludes the Melemele Arc and with the new year, Akala Island promises new encounters and experiences.

That said, I'd like to start testing the waters to see if there is any interest in a Q/A. Feel free to start submitting some questions for the characters if you have any. This is as good a time to try since the next chapter is going to be a doozy. Don't miss it! In the meantime, comments, questions, and spellchecks are, as always, appreciated. Mahalo!


	6. Sorry

The Team So Far:

 **Charlee** (male)

Species: Human

Nature: Naughty

 **Aleng** (male)

Species: Trumbeak

Nature: Rash

 **Izzy** (female)

Species: Alolan Grimer

Nature: Timid

 **Pona** (female)

Species Rockruff

Nature: Rash

 **The Rival** **: A Pokemon Mahina(Moon)** **Nuzlocke**

 **Chapter 6: Warm Welcome, Cold Reality**

Like visions of sea foam given life, playful Pelippers flitted over the surface of the Alolan Sea, juking and bobbing to avoid whitecaps by a hair's breadth. An entourage of of Wingull followed in their slipstream, and filled the air with calls that defied translation. The day was young, and their playground was vast and endless! For all of their agility however, the Water/Flying Pokemon were soon overtaken by an even greater avatar of the wind and waves. Amid a chorus of disturbed cries, the flock scattered, just long enough to give the passing sailing vessel a wide berth.

Selene was absolutely ecstatic! The cruise ships and ferries that she had experienced growing up had always dragged themselves through the water, but Professor Kukui's double-hulled ocean voyager seemed to glide through the sea like a living Sharpedo! Standing on the bow of one of its hulls, she almost felt at one with the canoe, as if its speed was her own!

Sensing her exhilaration, Rotom was blasting Lin-Manuel Miranda's soundtrack from a recent high-grossing animated movie. _"_ _Away! Away! We set a course to find, a brand-new island everywhere we roam!_ _"_

"This is absolutely amazing!" She shouted over the roar of the sea. That was the only word she knew that seemed appropriate.

Professor Kukui smiled at her enthusiasm. "Alola was first discovered by voyagers sailing on wa'a, not unlike this one; exploring the entire ocean with the stars as their guide!" He paused to see if he had a captive audience. Selene wasn't even blinking. "We almost lost the art of Wayfinding when the rest of the world found us, but half a century ago, Papa Mau and the Hokule'a brought voyaging back into the world! Since then, we've done all we can to share it with our keiki, so that the next generation can appreciate their rich history!"

"It's like I'm flying, Hau!" I spread my arms and leaned over the stern, just like in _Titanic_!

Not to be outdone, Hau gave his best DiCaprio impression. "I'm King of the World!"

Rotom joined us, playing Celine Dion. _"_ _Near, far, wherever you are-_ _"_

"Don't encourage them!" the Professor shouted at the living pokedex. He pulled the brim of his cap down in embarrassment. "At least we _try_ to share our culture with them."

Selene nodded sympathetically.

"Come on Grandma!" Hau shouted to the Professor; "Kick it up a notch!" Selene might have been impressed by this sea-snail's pace, but for those of us who grew up around the ocean, this was nothing!

"If we push the boat much harder than this, we may all end up at the bottom of the ocean!" Lillie was the only one who wasn't sharing our excitement. Rather, she was the only one hanging back on the wa'a by choice.

Hau laughed, "Hahaha! You're probably just worried about your silly hat flying off!"

I actually agreed with him, but still, teasing her like that was not cool. "Hey, lay off, Hau!" I excused myself from the stern and made my way back to the cabin of the canoe. "Hey Lillie, is everything ok?" The silly hat was probably the least of her worries.

She stared at me. "How can you talk to your friend like that?"

"What? Hau doesn't care." In fact, he was already chatting it up with Selene about seeing Akala Island and the rest of Alola. "Besides, you were kind enough to invite someone like me along. I'm not gonna let him or anyone talk smack about you."

"I still wish you would try to be nicer to people."

I sighed. One great thing about Hau was that he didn't care about hurt feelings or holding grudges, unlike me. Lillie just didn't get that. "Fine. I'll _try_."

"A-actually, there was another reason why I wanted you to come with us." She stared beyond me, and I followed her gaze to see Selene, standing astride the bow of the boat. "Are you still mad at Selene?"

 _Yes. Maybe._ "No. Why?"

"When we were looking for Nebby, she mentioned that she was still upset about what happened at the festival in Iki Town." Lillie's words tore the bandaid off a healing scar. The embarrassment and shame from the memory felt fresher than ever. "I told her that you were sorry, but I think she needs to hear it from you."

It was my turn to stare at Lillie.

"I know that you're rivals, but it would really mean a lot to me if you could still be friends."

"...Fine." Lillie meant well, but I was *really* starting to reconsider the value of friendship. "Hey, Selene!"

She reacted to my approach like a cornered Meowth!

"Hey, easy, easy! I just want to talk." That didn't seem to calm her much, but at least she didn't look ready to jump overboard. I anxiously rubbed the back of my neck. Admitting you're wrong was one thing, but actually apologizing for it was on a whole different level! "Listen, about our rough start this week...I just wanted to say that...I'm sorry." A south-easterly gust suddenly kicked up and drowned out my voice.

"What?"

"I said, 'Sorry! I was a jerk to you!"

"What?!"

I filled my lungs with as much air as I could, and that was precisely when the wind died down again. "I'M A STUPID MORON AND A BIG FAT JERK!" I froze when I realized just how loud I was. Everyone else on board was feeding that awkward silence.

"Hahahahaaaa!" Except Rotom.

The sea's bottomless abyss looked more inviting than ever, but I would have to settle for the bottom of the boat. "I'm just gonna go below deck, now." I fully intended to just lie there and wallow in self-pity, but the craziness of last night's events, plus the gentle motion of the sea, put me out like a light.

* * *

The next thing I knew, the boat was no longer moving, and someone was gently nudging me awake. "Charlee? Charlee! Wake up!" Of course, it had to be Selene. When I didn't budge, those gentle nudges turned into course shoving. At this point, my brain was fully active, but my body was demanding more rest! Finally, Selene turned and left. Then she came back with a fog horn. *HOOOOONK!*

"I'M UP! I'M UP!" At least, that's what I hope I said; my eardrums were pretty much shot. I grabbed my bag, and since we were pretty much getting off the boat, it was safe to let the Pokemon out again.

"Charlee! I missed you!" Izzy immediately latched on my leg. She was so sweet...if only her touch wasn't eating through my flesh.

"Hey, quit hogging! I knew him first!" Pona muscled in and started nuzzling my other leg...using the sharp stones on her neck. Whoever said that it's nice to be loved, obviously never had to deal with this!

"Don't you want to hug him too?" Rotom asked Aleng.

"We're cool. Guys don't have to show each other affection like that." Given the length and sharpness of his beak, I was thankful for that.

When Selene was certain that my hearing had returned, she asked, "Did you really mean what you said?"

"Yeah, I'm…*yawn* I'm awake."

"No! About what happened at the festival!"

Thoughts of my probation experience at the Trainers' School came flooding back to me. As if my awakening wasn't rude enough already. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm really sorry."

There was already an ongoing conversation when we followed Selene outside. Nebby, the celestial puffball, was bouncing around on the dock. Lillie, Hau, and the Professor were in the midst of being greeted by two girls. I immediately noticed the flower-like Trial medallion dangling from the hip of one of them. She was dressed in worn work overalls that accentuated her tan legs and shoulders. Pigtails dangled like Alolan jungle vines, and a hibiscus hair dec. completed the look. The same plant motif could be seen in the color of her eyes, and all of this served to draw attention to her smile, like a beautiful blossom in an exotic garden.

The older girl wore lots of jewelry, and dressed like some of the women I saw on Kuhio Avenue street corners at night. "Why hello there. Nice to meet you all; I'm Olivia."

Her companion introduced herself next. "I'm Mallow, one of the captains here!" she said cheerfully. "My trial will be a chance for all the fine ingredients that make up your team to shine!" Stepping forward, she examined us in a way that reminded me of my dad at the supermarket. "Especially you! Your Pokemon look ready to cook with gas!" Aleng in particular, beamed at the remark.

"You'll have to excuse Mallow's quirks. Her family owns a popular restaurant here on Akala." Olivia explained.

 _Restaurant?_ My eyes lit up. "Hey cool! I'm Charlee! My dad owns the Battle Buffet back on Melemele!"

The look on Mallow's face was a reflection of my own. "No kidding!" Her voice dripped with intrigue. "So, do you also dabble the culinary arts?"

[Flashback]

" _That food's for the customers, Charlee!_

" _Charlee! Put the knives down!"_

" _No Charlee! FIRE BAD! FIRE BAD!"_

[/Flashback]

I laughed nervously. "I'm more a patron of the arts."

"Even better! You can help taste-test some of the recipes I've been working on!" Mallow grabbed my hand and tried to lead me off then and there, but Olivia hastily interjected.

"And Mallow isn't the only captain here on Akala Island, of course." The older woman was almost apologetic in the way she said it, as if Mallow was somehow embarrassing her. Olivia's words made the Trial Captain's cheeks flush red.

Professor Kukui only grinned mischievously. "Yeah, that's up to these kids. It's _their_ island challenge, after all!"

"Yes...I suppose so." Olivia remained remarkably composed. "Enjoy your time on your island challenge, kids! I'll be looking forward to facing you in battle, when the time comes!" Without another word, she turned and left us with an entire new island to explore!

Kukui laughed. "That's Olivia for you. She's a kind Kahuna, deep down."

Mallow smiled, but her face was still flush. "Sorry for getting carried away, and for almost carrying you away. Let me make it up by showing you around!"

"Hey, can I come too?" Hau wasn't about to be left out.

"Sure! I'll take you on a tour and point out the best grindz!"

Hau was practically drooling when he turned to me. "I wonder what kind of malasada they make on Akala, eh?"

Mallow extended her invitation to Lillie and Selene. "Feel like joining us?"

"Thank you," Selene said, "but I think I'll be exploring on my own."

"And I should find out about the ruins for Nebby's sake too. I think Nebby may be interested in visiting the Ruins of Life." Lillie looked at Selene. "I wondered if you would like to come with us…"

The new trainer's smile was all the answer that Lillie needed.

"Cool! Count us in too!" I shouted. What precocious child _wouldn't_ want to check out a place called 'The Ruins of Life'? Of course it would have been rude of me to just invite myself. Hau should come too! "So, 'Hau' about it?"

He made a show of thinking really hard, and then looked down at his empty, gurgling opu. Here was a guy who had his priorities.

A timid chuckle escaped from Lillie. "We'll be at Tide Song Hotel if you decide you want to come."

"We'll be there after we see Heahea! Just wait for us!" I shouted to them. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mallow. Lead the way!"

* * *

Despite it's name, Heahea City, like most settlements in Alola, was more of a large town. Haole City back on Melemele was the only real city in the region. That didn't mean there wasn't loads to see, however. For what Heahea lacked in size, it more than made up for with a staggering abundance of stores, shops, and food stands. Although Hau and I were psyched to see the sights, it quickly became obvious that Pona was the most excited to check everything else.

"New smell! What's this? Can I eat that? This one has toys!" The little Rockruff dashed from store to store like a being made of pure Kona coffee!

"Don't go too far Pona!" Izzy stumbled after her knew friend. The difference in their speeds did nothing to impede her mission of keeping Pona safe.

Their antics only seemed to endear them to Mallow. "Pona seems...very energetic."

"Yeah, this is the first time she's been out of the house since we first found her." I had little trouble remembering the day a sick and hungry little puppy wandered down from Diamond Hea-er, Ten Carot Hill, and into our lives.

[Flashback]

 _Charlee: Can we keep her mom?_

 _Dad: Can we? Can we? Pleeeaaasse?_

[/Flashback]

"Mom only warmed up to Pona after she chased away a burglar."

"Wow, what a brave little Pokemon!"

"Yeah, except that she was actually trying to make friends with the crook!" I laughed.

"Stop telling that story, Charlee!" Pona's acute hearing had brought her right back to us.

"But it's so cute! I'm just telling Mallow how friendly you are."

"It makes me sound stupid! And I'm done being cute, I wanna be tough! And strong!" The way she stamped her little paws made Pona even more adorable...but telling her that would have probably hurt her feelings.

"Alright Pona, we'll take you seriously. And don't worry; after some training and battles, you _will_ be stronger."

"I'm sure you'll find plenty of action on your way to the ruins," Mallow said, "but let's try some malasadas at Simply Sweets before we meet your friends. What do you think?"

"...I think Hau already made the choice for us." The speed at which he charged into the bakery put even Pona to shame! We could hardly blame him though. By the time the rest of us caught up, he was already sinking his teeth into one of their specialty creations: 'Da Bomb'. Shavings of coconut and nut flew outwards like sparks from a New Year's firecracker, and fresh snow-white haupia filling burst from a light golden shell with every bite. Hau was barely half-way through before his entire face was a picasso of smeared chantilly and drizzled chocolate. This malasada definitely lived up to its name!

In the end, we ordered an assortment of their specials, but no one could decide which one was the best...so Hau ordered another round for himself and his Pokemon. "YugghsGounAaed." (You guys go on ahead.)

Tide Song Hotel wasn't that far, so Hau would probably catch up in no time. With Mallow leading the way, we rounded the corner and found ourselves in the shadow of a majestic building unlike any other. And it wasn't just us humans who were impressed: Aleng, Izzy, Pona, even Rotom...all of the Pokemon were staring up in wonder. The structure's facade was a tapestry of marine Pokemon, given life by the voice of the small fountain at its porte-cochere. No wonder they called it the Tide Song! Hula girls at the entrance evoked false memories of a less complicated time in our islands' history (the 60's), and although the Tide Song may have been dwarfed in this era of resorts and skyscrapers, the timeless grandeur of the hotel radiated from every cut stone in its construction. I couldn't wait!

"Stop right there!"

So of course, there would be someone in our way. Two someones, clad in worn denim. The boy wore an Exeggutor sunset shirt that was almost as loud as I was, and the girl had a deep v-neck, ivory tank top. Aviator shades masked their eyes and their intentions.

"Ah ha ha! We didn't mean to surprise you. You must be doing your island challenge."

The only challenge here was putting up with their interruption.

"I'm Dexio."

"My name's Sina! A beautiful name for a beautiful lady!"

"Beautiful lady? Where? Hey Aleng, have you 'Sina' beautiful lady around here?" I realized that I went too far about a split second after that left my mouth. Mallow gave me a sharp jab in the ribs, just to make sure.

"Sorry." Something told me that I would be using that world a lot on my Island Challenge. Despite the apology, my words seemed to have already struck a nerve with Sina.

"Oh, I've got an idea! Why don't you test your skills with me?" Her sunglasses glowed with fiery malevolence.

Pona's ears perked up. "Can we Charlee? Can we?" Well, she _did_ need some practice.

"We're supposed to meet Selene and Lillie." Mallow cautioned.

I checked the watch on Rotom. "I think they can wait a little longer. "Besides, this'll be quick. Pona, go!"

"Yippee!" the Rockruff rushed forward as our opponent summoned her first Pokemon.

"Yay! Good luck Pona!" Izzy cheered.

"Delibird, I choose you!" The festive penguin was definitely something you don't normally find in Alola. "Use Present!"

"Pona, Rock Throw!" This would be over even faster than I thought.

Pona had no shortage of spunk, but her inexperience gave Delibird the edge in speed. The penguin Pokemon leaped so high, for a moment it seemed to actually fly! In a swift, fluid motion, it reached into 'tail-sack' and flung something in the Rockruff's direction! Gross! The 'Present' might have looked like a colorful package, but that didn't change the fact that it came out of a Pokemon's butt!

"Dodge it, Pona!" The Rockruff heard the command, but her feet weren't fast enough, and the Present struck her in the face! Disgusting as it was, she hardly seemed fazed. Time to return fire! The little Rockruff put the whole of her energy into throwing the pebbles from around her neck with incredible force! Multiple rocks whizzed past the Delibird, sometimes missing it's feather's by a hair's breadth!

"Awk! Delideli!" A single stone found it's mark, and hit Delibird between the eyes! The force of the impact knocked it backwards and it was unconscious before it even hit the ground!

"Delibird, return!'

"I can feel myself getting stronger already!" Pona howled.

"Great job. This time, try jumping to the side, right before they attack you!" I was happy for her, but she wasn't unbeatable just yet.

"I've been taking it to easy on you!" Sina shouted! The next Pokemon to emerge was a canid, not unlike Pona; but contrary to the Rockruff's earthen coat, this Pokemon's body appeared to be made entirely of flawless crystal. In the Alolan humidity, thick steam began to form around it's body. Even from across the battlefield, I could feel the refreshing chill emanating from this Pokemon.

"Glaceon, Icy Wind!"

Pona dodged like I told her, and the ice attack went wide!

"Use Rock Throw again!" Where each stone struck, small cracks formed in the Glaceons coat! The steam grew even thicker. "One more time, Rock Throw!"

The Glaceon used another Icy Wind before Pona could strike! Pona tried to dodge again, but this time, the Ice-type had anticipated her moves!

"Aah!" The blast of cold air knocked Pona clean off her feet!

"Don't let it slow you down! Get up and try Rock Throw again!" Pona remained sprawled on the floor. I dug through my pack for any Ice Heals or Aspear Berries, but this was Alola! I never thought we would need those things! "Here, use this Potion!" But Pona made no move to catch it. She made no move at all. Tendrils of dread crept up my spine. "Pona!" For the second time, I threw a match by running on the battlefield. Aleng, Izzy, and Rotom were right behind me. As I neared, I realized that Pona wasn't frozen, and the dread erupted into a fiery panic. Stumbling through the items, I fished out a Revive and tried to force it into her mouth, but Pona wouldn't move. Her breath was colder than the Glaceon's attack. "No. No, no, no."

Pona's eyelids opened a crack and my spirits lifted...but her pupils were no longer bright and inquisitive. Now, they were fraught confusion...and fear. The seemingly infinite energy contained within was fading fast. When she spoke, she barely managed more than a whisper. "Char...lee…" And then, Pona was gone.

In a pathetic attempt at denial, I shut my eyes and told myself that this had to be a dream. A nightmare. If Pona couldn't wake up, then maybe I could! My eyes opened to the same, harsh reality I was trying to escape. I held Pona close, as if she could somehow absorb some of my own life to restore her own, but the gesture was futile, like everything else I've done. As I began to accept the grim reality of what was happening, the panic that had been running rampant through me, began to change. The emotions warped and mutated into a form of rage unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

Sina...the killer, she tried to apologize. "Ohmygod, I'm so sorry, I-"

"Aleng. Brick Break."

He was taken aback. "What? Charlee you know revenge isn't-"

"DO IT!" The Trumbeak obeyed, and the glassy Glaceon became a nightmare of shattered ice. The stubborn thing struggled to stand, even as bits and pieces of it fell by the wayside. It refused to pay for its actions. "Again, Aleng! Brick Bre-"

Someone tackled me to the ground. Mallow!

"Get off!"

"Get a hold of yourself!" I struggled against her, but the sheer effort robbed me of whatever willpower I had left. The tide of tears I had been holding back, spilled from my eyes, and the salty purge began to drain my desire for vengeance as well. No! _Someone_ had to pay! To feel the pain I was feeling! If Mallow was so damn adamant about getting in the way, then so be it! I tried lashing out, but she was surprisingly strong, for a girl.

When Mallow realized that words weren't working, she turned to my Pokemon. "All of you, back in your pokeballs. Now!" She wasn't their trainer, but she _was_ a Trial Captain. Then she turned to the tourists. "You two! Go."

"Glaceon, return!" And then the tourists were gone.

I continued to fight Mallow's grip, but as Pona's body began to slip from my arms, I abandoned the struggle, to keep what was left of her from falling away. I couldn't let her go. And I couldn't lash out. All I could do, was cry.

A small crowd was starting to gather, but despite how I acted, Mallow still took pity on me. "I know you're hurting, Charlee, but we need to go."

* * *

The slick, paved pathway of Heahea City gradually transformed into oxidized red clay, into loose dirt, into no path at all. Route 4. With my vision blurred from the tears, I stumbled over each change in terrain as Mallow half-dragged me along. No matter how many times I tripped, or how often I fell, I never once let go of Pona's body. I didn't know how.

At some point, we must have reached our destination. Rotom buzzed as if he was about to say something, but he decided to remain silent. Mallow didn't say anything either. She just stepped back into the shade of an old palm tree, and let me cry. I cried until my cheeks burned from the salt, I cried until my sinuses closed and I couldn't breath. When my tear-ducts ran dry, I still cried anyway.

Had this been the pain that I had helped Joey through? I tried to recall my own words of comfort, but my thoughts became a meaningless jumble. All I could focus on, was poor Pona. She had just started her journey with us. She had never left home before. She didn't deserve this! _She wanted to be stronger, to protect people! Those damn tourists. They did this!_

 _Did they?_ Another voice in me argued. _They did nothing illegal or out of the ordinary, and there wouldn't have been a battle if I hadn't...if I hadn't been so stupid._ The harsh lessons I had learned before began to creep back into my mind, and my breath seized in my throat. No more blaming others.

"Charlee…" Mallow's voice, soft as flower petals, drew my attention, "do you feel any better?" If anything, I felt worse than before. No words came to me, but somehow, Mallow seemed to understand. "Whenever we lose someone we love, sometimes the only way to dull the pain, is to say goodbye." She stepped aside to reveal a small, freshly dug grave at the base of the tree.

Mallow had worked to make a final resting place for someone that she barely even knew, while all I had done was wallow in my grief. Worse; in that grief, I had even tried to hurt her. I stared at the hole. It could have gone a thousand feet down, and it still wouldn't have reached the levels of loathing I had for myself.

"It's never easy to lose a partner, and it never should be. But blaming yourself will not make you feel better, and it wouldn't make Pona feel better either."

"How...how would you know?" My piercing gaze was blunted by Mallow's soft, loving eyes. The slightest trace of moisture appeared in them.

"Because I took the Island Challenge too. The pain you feel is something every trainer shares at some point." My entire body went limp. Despite my earlier resolve, I nearly dropped Pona then and there, had Mallow not suddenly hugged me tight, using her own body to keep Pona's close to my own. She did it as much to protect the Rockruff's remains as she did to comfort me.

I don't know whether Mallow's hug lasted two seconds or two hours, but when she let go, I somehow had the strength to gently place Pona into the earth. The old palm tree hung low over our heads, as if weeping for the lifeless little one now resting at its roots. In the end, Mallow agreed that everyone should have a chance to say goodbye. Most of the Pokemon only knew Pona a short time, but they all had something to say.

"We just met and you already became my best friend." Izzy sobbed. The ground smoked wherever one of her tears dripped, but not once did she let them fall on the spot where Pona lay. "Even if you're gone, we will always play together in my memories."

Aleng took some time to gather his thoughts. "Pona was...both a rascal, and a sweetheart. As much as she chased us Pikipeks, she did it without malice. Her every action was an attempt to share the joy in her heart with everyone. That's something we should all aspire to do."

"Rockruff can senzze when itz Trainer iz in the dumpzz and will stick close by itz Trainer'zz side. Even now, I believe Pona'zz spirit izz with you, Charlee."

Everyone's words, while different, were each so beautiful. All I could muster was, "Pona...I'm sorry."

Mallow waited, to give me a chance to say more. When I let the opportunity pass, she came forward. "Some people in Alola still keep part of their Rockruff with them as a reminder. Would it help if you kept Pona's neck stones?"

I looked longingly at Pona's grave, and then shook my head. Her pokeball would be a painful enough reminder.

"In that case...I want to tell you about another tradition." Mallow took a deep breath, as if drawing in mana from the world around her. "It is an old belief, that then our loved ones die, a tree should mark their final resting place. These plants, strong and wise, act as guardians for _Ha-_ -the life force of those who are gone. The stories go, that if the tree produces a large harvest the next year, then it means that our loved ones have successfully found a home within, where their spirits can live until it is time for them to be with us again."

I didn't know what to think. I was too emotionally weary to believe in anything right then, but at the same time, Mallow was giving another honest effort to help me cope. "...I hope this tree grows heavy with berries." I said, finally.

Mallow smiled sadly. "Pona's spirit will make a lot of friends. Many of the trees on Route 4 are the resting place for Pokemon lost on Island Challenges...including mine. Look!" Mallow pointed and raced ahead to a tree no different from the rest, except a massive pile of rainbow-colored berries sat beneath it. "Looks like someone is definitely home!" She didn't know how right she was.

Mallow reached down to pick one of the delicious fruit, when suddenly the entire pile shook! An enormous purple Pokemon leaped from its cover beneath the berries! "Craaaaabrawler!"

"Eek!" Mallow raised her arms to shield herself, trying to back away, but her attacker advanced.

The grass flew by beneath my feet! Before I knew what I was doing, I found myself charging at the Crabrawler and kicked him in the carapace as hard as I could! *tink*

For a moment, the stunned crustacean just looked at me, as if it couldn't believe what I was doing. I know I couldn't. "Brawler!" With a single swipe of its massive pincers, the Pokemon knocked me flat on my okole with enough force to chase the air from my lungs! At least now, it was focused on me. It scuttled forward, menacingly. "Crab! Crab! Crab!" It shouted.

"Crap! Crap! Crap!" I shouted. It's claws were charging up with a very familiar energy. Rock Smash! I had seen Aleng use it...enough times to...! "Aleng! Brick Break!" The two Fighting-type attacks collided with explosive force, but when the dust cleared, my Trumbeak's attack had won out! One of Crabrawler's arms was even knocked clean off! The land crab wasn't done with our battle yet, though! My first instinct was to have Aleng finish the fight with Pluck...but there had been enough death for today. There was another way to defeat Crabrawler. "Pokeball, go!"

The red and white capture device spiraled through the air and struck Crabrawler square on the plastron! The impact was enough to set off the delicate sensors within the sophisticated device, and the spring-loaded mechanism forced the semi-sphere halves apart! From there, digitization panels converted the target Pokemon into pure energy, as the internal battery drew it in. SNAP! The two halves slammed shut. All of us watched with baited breath as the pokeball twitched once, twitched twice, and then stilled.

A new Pokemon caught, and yet I was in no mood to celebrate. Aleng was, though. "We did it! We caught Crabrawler!"

Izzy gave a quick cheer alongside him, then she wandered over to the detached claw, and started eating it. "Om-nomnom!"

"That was amazing!" Mallow shouted. "You caught Crabrawler...and you rescued me!"

Rescued? "No, I didn't." I said quietly.

"Of course you did! You-"

"No. I. Didn't." I stared at her. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that a veteran of the Island Challenge, a _Trial Captain_ , couldn't handle being jumped by a Crabrawler? How dumb do you think I am?"

Mallow showed no sign of apology. Her eyes matched her body language: defiant and strong. That was the real her. It took a special kind of person to pretend to be weak for the sake of others. I could never have done that.

I took a deep breath, "...Thank you. What you were trying to do...I really appreciate it. All of it."

As we spoke, the Pokemon played the part of a captive audience. Izzy passed a piece of Crabrawler's arm to Aleng. Rotom looked on longingly as they snacked.

"About the way I reacted earlier-"

Mallow gently cut me off. "Grief isn't something we deal with all the time; it can cause even the best trainers to lose themselves. I'm just happy that it didn't get any worse."

I nodded in acknowledgement, but still, if she hadn't stopped me...I silently promised myself to be more wary of myself from now on.

"So, do you feel better now?" Mallow prodded. It was like she didn't even care that I was such loser.

While the adrenaline from battle was definitely a nice distraction, thoughts of Pona were returning to the forefront of my mind. "Maybe a little. Not enough to stop blaming myself." I sighed and looked at Crabrawler's pokeball. _Maybe not even enough to continue training._

"Then we'll just have to keep that heavy heart of yours pumping!" She just wouldn't give up. "Hey, you have a Tauros for a ride Pokemon, right?"

Hala's words still rang in my head: _I'm not letting any of my Pokemon near you._ "Um...the Kahuna...kinda forgot to give me one."

Mallow had that grin on her face again. "You're going to love this!" She produced her own Ride Pager and a flash of light later, Mallow was sitting astride a towering, three-tailed bull. "Well don't just stand there, come on!"

I called Aleng and Izzy back into their pokeballs, stuffed Rotom into my pack, and took Mallow's outstretched hand. When our fingers touched, electricity danced between us; it must've been a side-effect of the Poke Ride system. Mallow pulled me up in front of her and then scooted back in the saddle to give me some more room.

"Ok, you want to grip the controls like this." She gently guided my hands into the right position. Tauros snorted when I made contact, and lurched forward. "Easy! These are very sensitive, and you don't have to grip too hard, unless you want to go really fast. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Then let's go really fast!"

 **Author's Notes:** Pona was the name of my neighbor's dog, and the first animal I ever befriended as a child. Sweetest pitbull I've ever known. She lived to a ripe old age and was nothing except loving her entire life. I wish my Rockruff could have been as lucky.

The Hokule'a has just recently returned to the Pacific Ocean via the Panama Canal, after spending the last three years circumnavigating the globe without modern instruments; Wayfinding all the way! The message of this world-wide voyage was, "Malama Honu'a", or Caring for the World. Follow her crew as they continue this historic voyage by visiting the Polynesian Voyaging Society's website.

As always, questions, comments, suggestions, and critiques are encouraged and appreciated. Mahalo.


	7. Live and Learn and Love

The Team So Far:

 **Charlee** (male)

Species: Human

Nature: Naughty

 **Aleng** (male)

Species: Trumbeak

Nature: Rash

 **Izzy** (female)

Species: Alolan Grimer

Nature: Timid

 **Jermaine** (male)

Species: Crabrawler

Nature: Quirky

Deceased:  
 **  
Pona** (female)

Species: Rockruff

Nature: Rash

 _ **The Rival**_ **: A Pokemon Moon** _ **Nuzlocke**_

 **Chapter 7: Live and Learn and Love  
**

Ernie was restless. The cook had been grinding his way through Route 4 for hours now, with the heat of Alola's sun bearing down on him. Ernie swore he could feel the ultraviolet radiation eating into the exposed skin on his neck and hands. He tried to convince himself that it was nothing compared to the kitchen's hellish inferno at rush hour, but the comforting thought only reminded him that he had to be back at at work soon. No! He wasn't ready to turn back. Ernie soldiered on, in a uniform bogged down with dirt and stained in sweat.

"The first step to surpassing Captain Mallow is to strengthen my Pokemon!" he reminded himself. However, Route 4's population of wild Pokemon had provided little challenge, and even less Experience for Ernie's Cutiefly. Leveling up had turned into a thankless chore with no end. What he needed was a match against a trainer. But who? The lost Sightseer? Ha! The Bellhop? Please!

"Bwooor!"

A Tauros? If the cry didn't give it away, the steadily growing thunder of its hooves certainly did! Wild Tauros weren't native to Route 4, so it must be a trainer's Ride Pokemon. Perfect! _Fresh meat_. Ernie thought smugly to himself. He struck a dynamic pose as the stampeding bovine burst from the foliage! "I challenge you to-"

"OUT OF MY WAY, STUPID!" Honestly, who stands _right in front_ of a charging bull? The cook dove for safety and narrowly avoided being trampled into pudding! "AHAHAHAHAHA!" Mallow was right: I _did_ love this!

"Sorry Ernie! See you at work!" Mallow called as our Tauros left the terrified trainer in our dust!

"Who was that?" I asked.

"A cook from my family's restaurant. Hey, you aren't thinking of stopping, are you?"

"Not a chance! Chee-hoo!" Riding a Tauros was more fun than I ever imagined! Boulders the size of trucks crunched like breakfast cereal before our might! The sharp crackle of shattering pebbles beneath the percussion of hooves was a symphony of beautiful carnage! What a rush! The wind lashed at our faces, but with the adrenaline surging through us, it might as well have been a gentle summer breeze. Best of all was when we were going _really_ fast, and Mallow would hold me tight. I wasn't sure why, but that made my heart race quicker than the Tauros ever could. Of course, like all fun things, it was over way too soon.

"We're coming up on Paniola Town; better slow a bit." Was it me, or was there was a hint of regret in Mallow's voice? It was only after Tauros returned to a saunter that I realized how sore my butt was from all that riding, but it did nothing to detract from the picturesque town, framed in the light of the sunset.

Incandescent lighting gave warmth to frontier-style houses built with abundant kiawe and ironwood timbers. The road beneath us remained unpaved to better accommodate hooves instead of wheels, and years of use had worn it down to a hardpan of oxidized red clay. Of course, that wasn't to say that this place was old-fashioned: virtually every structure in Paniola offered the modern comforts of electricity and plumbing, but the town was just *that* good at concealing it. Windmills, identical to any from hundreds of years ago, spun in the breeze. Some probably still drew water from the underground aquifer. Most however, harnessed the wind as energy: spinning ultra-efficient generators to power the homes in this idyllic community.

Here was a place where the past and present could coexist in harmony, and the only thing that stood out of place was the Pokemon Center. Even the townsfolk radiated with the aura of a bygone age. Unbothered by the large Pokemon in their midst, the people of Paniola went about their evening business, only pausing to warmly greet friend and stranger alike as if they were ohana. The setting was so perfect, I couldn't help but start swaggering in the saddle, like in the movies I saw as a kid. Man, I so wish I had my cowboy boots and hat right now!

Mallow laughed when my swaying almost caused me to fall off. "Easy there, paniola!"

"This place is too perfect! All we need now is a showdown in the center of town!"

She paused for a moment; "...I think you might get your wish."

Up ahead, a lone figure stood, back-lit against the setting sun. The body language-balled fists and solid stance, told of someone looking for a fight. The flower-shaped hat on her head was unmistakable.

"Nowhere to run, Charlee! It's time you paid for your mistakes, and face me!" Selene shouted, for all of Akala Island to hear.

I gave Mallow back the reins of her Tauros, and dismounted. "What are you talking about?"

Selene thrust her index finger at me as if it were a rapier. "You can't play innocent this time, you selfish coward!" Spectators cleared the street and took up a seat, eager for an inevitable confrontation. "How can you even pretend that nothing happened? Lillie was supposed to be your friend! How could you just leave us without warning?"

Selene's words hit like actual bullets. How _could_ I have forgotten?! We were supposed to meet up to explore the Ruins of Hope! Mallow and I were on our way to see Selene and Lillie until...until...

"Even Hau gave up on you! But no, Lillie was still waiting, still believing in you! All the while, you were cozying up to the Trial Captain, and taking a joyride across the island!"

All of Mallow's efforts to take my mind off of Pona's death were suddenly undone. Painful memories came surging back like the incoming tide. My legs involuntarily buckled as I staggered under the crushing guilt. The weight of Selene's words only added to my burden I could only imagine what they had gone through: Selene and Lillie waiting, prompt as ever in the Tidesong Hotel lobby. The distinguished establishment was awash with activity as multiple staff and guests went about their business, but the travelling companions were only interested in the arrival of a select few individuals. Lillie's hopes were high: the ruins represented another possible clue to they mystery that was Nebby! Even now, the cosmic puffball bounced happily in it's duffle-shaped hiding place. Selene couldn't wait to get started!

Hau would have arrived before too long, his belly a bit bigger and his face sporting a white beard of fine malasada sugar. "Au'e? Chuck's not here yet?" He said at first. Followed by, "Eh, no big. He's running on Alola Time."

Lillie nodded understandingly, and explained to Selene that everything and everyone in Alola moved at a slower pace. Pokemon included. "He'll be here soon."

Soon extended to half an hour, and then a full hour. And no one knew how to dial Charlee on the Rotomdex! At that point, even Hau was getting restless, but Selene... Selene had never fully trusted Charlee in the first place; not after that time in Iki Town. Even with his apology on Kukui's boat, Selene had been hesitant to regard him as a true friend. The novice trainer shook her head to dispel those toxic thoughts. Lillie was kind enough to give Charlee the benefit of the doubt, so Selene should too. The seeds of distrust still lingered in her mind, but for Lillie's sake, Selene kept her thoughts to herself.

Two hours in, Hau decided to call it quits. "It's getting late. We can try again next time. Hey, tell Charlee I said 'Alola'."

Lillie insisted on staying. It would have been rude to abandon Charlee. "What if he arrives right after we leave? What if something happened to him?" A quick call to the police turned up nothing. By the third hour, Selene had had enough! If he truly was in trouble, then they would have heard something by now. More likely, that filthy, Ekans of a trainer, had left them to rot! What truly infuriated Selene more than anything else, however, was how Lillie still seemed to believe in him, and how worry was tearing her apart.

"Why don't we splurge a little and get a room for tonight? Go freshen up and order us some room service!" Selene suggested. Maybe the comforts of this place would take Lillie's mind off of things. For Selene however, there was only one thing that could placate her. "You relax, and I'll go look for Charlee..."

It was Mallow's voice that snapped me back to the present. "Selene, I know that you're upset, but it wasn't all his fault."

"Don't stand up for him! You have no idea what he's even capable of!"

"Please, you don't understand what he's just been through!"

"And she doesn't have to know." I said quietly.

Mallow looked at me incredulously.

"I won't make Pona into some kind of excuse." To Selene, I said, "Where is Lillie now?"

"Back at the hotel, but you're insane if you think another of your fake apologies will undo everything!"

I didn't think it would either, but I had hoped that it would be as start. "Then what is it that you want, Selene?"

"For you to stay out of our lives, and never hurt Lillie again!" But the fire in her eyes said something else. She wanted something that I was all-too familiar with.

"You want payback. Revenge." I said flatly. She made no effort to correct me. "Then let's have a battle. If I win, you give me the chance to apologize and earn back your trust. If I lose…you'll never see me again, and I'll give up my island challenge."

"What?!" Mallow shouted. "Charlee, you don't have to do this!"

"If I hadn't accepted Sina's challenge, Pona wouldn't have died, and we wouldn't have ended up on Route 4." I wasn't sure if I could continue the island challenge anyway. Maybe this fight would help me to decide.

"Growlithe, go!" A tan and orange Pokemon with strong black stripes materialized from its pokeball. The resemblance was only slight if at all, but the fact that it was also a puppy reminded me of Pona.

No! I couldn't let my thoughts get in the way. "Aleng, let's do this!" But I stopped just short of throwing his pokeball.

I stared at the plain, spherical device and I swear, I felt the heartbeat of the the Trumbeak within. Aleng was a friend; the oldest one I had. The only Pokemon I had known almost as long was Pona...and now she was gone. Looking up, I saw the flaming rage in Selene's eyes; the Pokemon she was using seemed to be the perfect choice. What if the battle, through her actions, or my own, ended up claiming another life today? I returned the Pokeball to its place and marched forward.

"What are you doing?!"

"I'm doing what you wanted, Selene. I'm taking responsibility. My Pokemon didn't wrong you or Lillie, so this is my fight." Revenge was an ugly thing. After what it had nearly caused me to do to Selene's Rowlet, I had no intention of risking Aleng or Izzy the same way. I didn't want to hurt the Growlithe either, but Selene wouldn't take things as far as I would have in her shoes. At least, that's what I was banking on.

Growlithe whined in confusion. He wasn't used to facing a human opponent, and looked back at his trainer for guidance. Selene was just as unsure.

Despite her fury, she was too kind-hearted and too intelligent to actually attack in cold blood. With her anger neutralized, my mission was accomplished...of course by that point, my ego had taken the reins and I didn't know when to quit. _Dig in and don't back down now!_ A voice in my head said. I spread my arms wide to make myself as big a target as possible. "Well here I am! Do you really want payback so badly? Now's your chance!"

Selene balled her fists in frustration, but she made no move.

"What are you, chicken? Attack me!"

"Growlithe, use Take Down!"

 _CRAP! She actually attacked me!_

[Charlee fainted]

* * *

A sharp stabbing sensation in my chest snapped me awake. My ribs felt brittle and weak. The only source of light in the cramped room came from the moon hovering outside an open window, but by eyes had no trouble penetrating the inky blackness. Memories of what transpired sent adrenaline surging through my veins and I sat straight up. Bad move. "Ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch!" My ribcage erupted in fire, and I doubled over, clutching my bandaged, torso.

"Charlee!" It was Rotom. "Pleaz relax. You're ribs are very bruized."

"No kidding!" I half-snarled, half-snarked. Snarkled.

Soft linens welcomed my bare shoulders as my head sank into a pillow slightly dampened with sweat. Rotom pulled a thick, fluffy comforter over me.

"Thanks."

"Thanks are unnezessary. I wasn't the one who bandaged you up, or carried you here."

"Wait, where are we?"

At that moment, a wooden door swung open and an unfamiliar figure entered the room. Whoever he was, he had a boisterous voice and spoke in thick Pidgin. "Shoots brah! You sleep so long, I tink you dead!" Even at a distance, he had the musk of dirt, hay, and manure. And maybe a little pakalolo. As he moved closer, I could make out a wide-brimmed hat and overalls.

I sat up to get a better look and pain shot through me again. I growled in frustration.

"Take it eazy." Rotom reminded me.

"Listen to your Poke-cuz when he talk." the man said. "You bust up pretty bad."

I stared at him.

"Alola, I'm Wes. Paniola Ranch Manager."

"Alola. Charlee. So, you brought me here?"

"Nah, I just make sure you ok. You gotta thank Mallow. She da one who bring you here, patch you up. Never see da Captain so kapakahi."

 _Mallow?_ My eyes wandered towards the bedside window, and the starry sky outside. "Thanks. As soon as she wakes up, I'm gonna do just that."

"Wake up? Chee! Dawn gonna come soon. She already doing her chores!"

"What?!" I flung myself from the bed, sending a fresh wave of pain through me! Somehow I found my shirt in the darkness, but there wasn't time for the rest of my stuff. I ran barefoot out into the cool morning air.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rotom called after me.

"Gonna find Mallow! Just sit tight and watch the pokeballs!"

Crisp blades of grass slipped between my toes. The ground was chilled and damp and my ribs burned with every step; I was starting to regret running out like that. Good thing Mallow wasn't hard to find; as I approached the edge of a pasture, another Breeder was nice enough to point me in the right direction. A particularly large and happy Miltank seemed to recognize me for some reason, and took me the rest of the way. The trial captain was unloading hay in an open field, while some more Miltank and Tauros loitered expectantly nearby.

By the light of the moon, Mallow was easy to spot. She cheerfully greeted the Miltank as the dairy cow ran up to her. "Hi Mistress!"

Not one to go unnoticed, shouted, "Hay, Mallow!" Hehehe. Hay.

She looked up with a mixture of surprise and concern. "What are you doing out of bed? You need rest if you're going to heal!"

"Ok, ok, but your friend Wes said that you were the one taking care of me. I just want to say 'mahalo'. So um, mahalo!" I wanted to say so much more, but how to put it all into words?

The Trial Captain shook her head and sighed. "If you insist on running around, then at least have some of this." she said as the Mistress approached us with a small cooler. Upon opening, the air was filled with the distinct jingle of chilled glass. "Here. It'll help mend your bones." Mallow handed me a frosty white bottle that was already slick with condensation.

"MooMoo Milk?!" Without a second thought, I pulled off the pog, and started to swig. The first wave in my mouth was pure ambrosia! Creamy, rich, and refreshing; it moved down my throat like liquid silk. Swigging quickly gave way to chugging. "This is delicious!"

Mallow took a drink from her own bottle. "You like it then?"

"Love!"

"The MooMoo Milk from Paniola Ranch is the best! Nothing can match it its quality."

Riding high on the MooMoo, I wasn't even thinking when next words slipped from my mouth. "Or maybe it's so good because it's a gift from you." Did I really just say that?! _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_ The silence that followed made my stomach clench. _Say something else! Do something! Anything!_ *BURP!* _ANYTHING BUT THAT!_ Of all the stupid-

*BUUUUUURRRRRRRRPP!* the shockwave from Mallow's belch completely obliterated the awkward tension, and we both burst into laughter! I laughed so hard, the MooMoo started to gushgush from my nose! You know what? I didn't care. It was amazing how Mallow could turn the most embarrassing situations into the best times of my life.

It was only after I snorted the last of the boogery-drink back into my throat, that I realized my bottle was all empty.

"You did enjoy it a little too quickly." Mallow chuckled.

I eyed a nearby Tauros and smiled back. "No probs. This is the best place for MooMoo, right? I'll refill it straight from the source!"

"Charlee wait!"

"BWOOORRRR!" I was grabbing for Tauros' underside when suddenly, there was a bright flash! Then I was flat on my back! When I tried to get up my body was overcome with a wave of intense nausea and dizziness. My legs were suddenly weak and rubbery! Unable to keep up with the spinning world, I toppled over.

A second later, Rotom hovered into view. "All Tauros are male. Milk comez from Miltank."

"What are you doing here?" I growled.

"My job iz to watch you, remember?"

"Easy! Easy!" Mallow was trying to calm the raging bull, but if anything, she only seemed to redirect its anger towards her.

"Bwo!" Tauros lunged! Only Mallow's reflexes saved her from being gored on those vicious horns.

"Mallow!" Unable to get up, all I could do was shout her name.

She hardly seemed to care about her own safety. "Rotom! Is Charlee ok?"

"He haz a concussion from getting kicked in the head."

"Don't be stupid! I think I would remember if I was kicked in the...oh."

"Captain Mallow!" it was Wes. "Watch out for that bugga! He pretty feisty, even for one Tauros!"

"Then I guess we'll need the Mistress' help for this one." Mallow leaped back. "What do you say, Mistress? Think you can tame this bad bull?"

"Miill!" the Miltank beside us was suddenly dressed in 'taming' attire, and every piece of it was shiny black vinyl, which put a whole new spin on the name, 'Mistress'.

"Go get him!" Brandishing a leather riding crop, the Miltank rushed into battle! The sound of squeaking vinyl filled the air as she charged, but all it took was one hit from Tauros to send the dairy cow flying over the moon! When Tauros turned back our way, Mallow grabbed me by the arms in the fireman's carry and started to drag me across the grass towards the tree line.

"You're suppozed to save the girl, not the other way around."

"Shut up, Rotom!" we both shouted. Great minds think alike. Maybe it was the concussion, but in spite of the danger, suddenly I couldn't stop thinking about Mallow. She was intelligent, strong, and caring; osmeone I could spend the rest of my life with.

"Bwoorrr!" which probably wouldn't be for much longer.

"Muuuudbray!" A small earthen donkey leaped out from nowhere and between us and the Tauros, sending up an impressive plume of dirt that stopped the rampaging ruminant in its tracks! It was at this time that Rotom saw fit to start playing the main theme from _Silverado_ (1985).

Through the haze, we were able to make out the combatants sizing each other up! Tauros bellowed ferociously and Stomped his hooves with enough force to make my teeth rattle!

Mudbray didn't even flinch. Her response was a simple snort that was as confident as it was stubborn. When it became apparent that the Mudbray wasn't backing down, Tauros lowered its head and rushed her with a Horn Attack! The charge was met by a Bulldoze that blunted his assault! If anything, Mudbray seemed even stronger after their collision: her Stamina ability was taking effect. Tauros lowered its horns for another charge, but the loosened dirt from Mudbray's Bulldoze was hurting his speed! Mudbray leaped over the bewildered bovine and, upon landing behind it, she promptly struck out with both her hind legs. Double Kick!

The attack caught the mired Tauros right on the okole and knocked him to the ground with hoofprint on each cheek! Tauros turned to rushed Mudbray again, but with his reduced speed, there was nothing he could do to stop Mudbray from dancing around his attacks and counter-attacking once more. This time he took the Double Kick to his face for his troubles!

When Tauros arose, the rage that burned so fiercely was replaced by pure madness! In its wild thrashing, Tauros once again put us in it's cross-hairs! I'm still not sure how, but from somewhere, the Mudbray produced a lasso and used it to rope the bull by the horns, pulling the line taught as Tauros was just feet from Stomping us flat! With a strength that bellied her size, the equine Pokemon dragged her opponent back and redirected his aggression on her. Confused and exhausted, the flailing Tauros pressed a desperate last Horn Attack...only to be floored by one final Bulldoze! Attrition finally took its toll on Tauros as the ground literally fell away beneath him! Even as he hit the ground, momentum continued to take him forward, plowing the earth with his face until coming to a stop at Mudbray's waiting hooves.

The donkey Pokemon, satisfied with a job well-done, gave one final snort to her opponent, before turning our way, and rushing right at us! "Mudbray!"

Mallow practically dropped me to rush the Mudbray in return. "Applejack!" The two of them collided in a mutual glomp! "Mahalo! I missed you so much!"

"Applejack?" Was all I could sputter.

"She's the reason why I keep visiting Paniola Ranch!" Mallow happily explained. "I didn't really have time to train her growing up, but the Breeders were nice enough to give her a home here, so that I could see her when I volunteer!"

"Yeah, but you call your earth pon-er, I mean your Mudbray, 'Applejack'?"

Mallow blushed. "When I was little, I watched a lot of 'My Little Ponyta', so I named her after my favorite character; pretty silly, huh?"

"Hey, no way!" I laughed, but not in the bad way. "Real friends care more about you, and not your taste in tv...that's why Friendship is Magic."

Suddenly, I was the one glomped on the ground! Mallow had me pinned and her eyes were bigger than ripe lychee. "OMG! OMG! OMG! Who's your favorite character?"

"Fluttershy."

"Favorite episode?"

"Lesson Zero!"

"Favorite Song?!"

 _"Winter Wrap-up! Winter Wrap-up!"_ I'll refrain from going into any more details because I'M A DUDE, DAMN IT...but I never had so much fun just sitting and _talking_ with someone like this before. And it wasn't just about ponies, either. Each topic we touched would inevitably branch off into a tangent: sometimes starting a new subject and sometimes revisiting something we started earlier; always weaving a beautiful web of shared interests. I'd like to think it didn't matter what we were talking about, so much as who I was talking with. There was almost something cathartic to being with her: the more we talked story, the better I felt. My concussion had to have been wearing off by now, but if anything, the attraction I was feeling for Mallow only seemed to be growing stronger with each conversation. Yet, of all the things we were sharing, my feelings were the one thing I wasn't comfortable bringing up. Part of the reason was all the different voices arguing about how to say it, but if I was going to be honest, part of me actually just felt guilty about all the hell I've put her through. Well, at this point, I've apologized to so many people that at least I wasn't shy about it. "Listen Mallow, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I should've told you earlier, but when Selene was talking stink about me in town, she wasn't wrong. I've done... some pretty bad stuff."

Of all the reactions I was expecting from Mallow, a gentle smile wasn't one of them. "Charlee, I'm a Trial Captain. Don't you think we are _warned_ about certain trainers? Kahuna Hala gave us the head's up before you even arrived."

"Wait, so everyone knows? _You_ know about-"

"You're impulsive, reckless, self-centered, and prone to violent tantrums." she rattled off a list that fit me to a tee; "But the Kahuna also mentioned that you brought Wo Fat to justice and rescued a Youngster from that creep, 'Ilima. More importantly, I've _seen_ how much you care about your Pokemon. You aren't a bad person; just really, _really_ misguided. That's exactly what the Island Challenge is for; if everyone were perfect, there would be no need for Trials and...Charlee, are you ok?"

"Huh? Yeah! I'm good." Embarrassed, I shifted my gaze and a single tear rolled down my cheek. After hearing...after _seeing_ me at my worst, Mallow still had the compassion to stand up for me. I had to focus on something else before I started gushing like Waimea Falls.

Before us stretched a piece of heaven: where the wind blew, an endless emerald sea rippled beneath the stars. Families of Pokemon dreamed in undisturbed peace, under the watchful eye of loving Breeders.

"Let's talk about something besides me for a while."

"Hehe, ok." Mallow took in the same sight. "What do you know of the Paniola?"

"They're the Alolan version of cowboys, aren't they?"

Mallow grinned and affectionately pet Applejack beside her. "Paniola existed before the Wild West was even a thing." Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she spoke. "When the first Miltank and Tauros were introduced to Alola, their numbers grew out of control. Vaquero ranchers were invited to the islands by the King, and they trained the people of Alola in the ways of riding and roping."

"So, they became the first Paniola!"

"Yes." There was a tinge of pride in Mallow's voice. "The lifestyle was hard at first, but they never backed down, and they never lost their spirit. Because of the Paniola, Alola was able to enjoy the first ukulele, the best Ride Tauros, and the richest MooMoo Milk." Mallow paused to finish her bottle almost as an afterthought. Having long since downed mine, I tried swabbing the last milky drops still in the bottle, with my tongue. "Paniola Town and this Ranch were named to honor their exploits, and although most everyone here is called a Breeder, they are Paniola in everything but name."

"No wonder you left Applejack here: it's so fantastic! And it must be so cool that you get to help out and be a part of it."

"I'm not here as often as I'd like." She confessed and absentmindedly picked at the grass around her feet. "Between the restaurant and my duties as captain, I can hardly make time to stop by. I probably would have skipped the ranch altogether yesterday, if you didn't get yourself hurt." Our eyes made contact. "Thanks for stopping by."

"Um, you're welcome?"

She laughed. "Just promise me you'll to be more careful. Taking so many attacks from Pokemon can't be good for you."

As if on cue, Rotom zipped in with my medical report. "Current analysis showz that Charlee's health has stabilized. However, his heart iz beating unusually fast." the ghost-type gave me a knowing nudge.

I swatted at the teasing pokedex and turned back to Mallow. "Hey, Professor Kukui takes hits all the time."

"The Professor's a trained professional...I hope. I'm serious, I'm scared you'll get so hurt that you can't even finish your island challenge!" Then, she winked playfully to lighten the mood. "And I'd definitely upset if you miss out on taking my Trial!"

"I don't think I could bring myself to fight anyone as wonderful as you." I said without even thinking, again. _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_ I tried to cover it up with something more important. "Um...about the Island Challenge...I don't think I'll be able to continue anyway."

Mallow stopped smiling. "What are you talking about? That stupid deal you made with Selene doesn't count."

"I know but…" I paused, trying to compose my words. They seemed more distant by the second. "The truth is, I've been thinking about quitting since before Selene. I don't want to lose any more of my team like I did with..."

Mallow held up her hand before I could finish. Instead, she motioned for me to follow her.

* * *

I know it sounds crazy, but I swear we could smell dawn approaching. The sky was beginning to turn a lighter shade of dark blue, but the moon and the stars maintained their heavenly glow. Applejack, Rotom, and I followed Mallow lead us to the eastern boundary of Paniola Ranch. A small, ramshackle shack stood near the road, barely straddling the properly line. At its entrance, a female Breeder loitered beside a Miltank. When she saw us approach, her face lit up.

"Mallow!"

"Nalea!" The two embraced like sisters.

"I was beginning to think you forgot about us here at the lonely crossroads." Then Nalea eyed me. "Who's the cutie?"

"Charlee's with me."

"With you, or _with_ you?"

"Cut it out!" Mallow laughed. Blood rushed to my face and I looked away to avoid eye contact.

"It'll be eazier if you just tell her." Rotom whispered, "I could set the mood for you..."

"Back off. You said your job is just to watch me."

"Watching you stumble through thiz crush is torture!"

Mallow cut in. "Charlee, we're going inside."

As I passed, Nalea threw me a mischievous wink. "If she can't decide, I'm always available."

"Mallow!" two voices shouted.

"Amy! Sarah!" A greeting similar to the one outside played itself out. Only this time, it was with two Breeders closer to our own age.

The older one, Sarah, leaned over the counter. "What brings you here, Mallow? I don't think we have any of your Pokemon."

"Nah, nah. We're actually here because of Charlee." Mallow gestured towards me.

"Alola." was all I could say.

The sisters eyed me as if they were appraising livestock.

Amy grinned. "Good choice! But you know, this place is for Pokemon, not trainers-"

"Eew, stop it!" Mallow shouted, followed by more laughter. I'll never understand girls.

"Charlee just lost one of his Pokemon, and it's given him second thoughts on his island trial." Just like that, the laughter vanished, and the room turned quiet.

"That happens." Sarah said coldly.

Amy nodded. "A lot of folks jump in for the fame and glory, but they never think about what happens when battles go south." Her words stung like a Tentacool to the nads.

"I was hoping you had something that could change his mind from quitting."

Sarah straightened and gave Mallow a scolding look. "Those who can't continue, don't. As Captain, you know this as well as anyone, they're called _Trials_ for a reason."

Mallow met Sarah's eyes with her own unwavering gaze.

Finally, it was Amy that broke the standoff. "But we'll give him a shot, since you must really fancy this one to care so much."

"Amy!" Sarah and Mallow both shouted, but for completely different reasons.

"Charlee, do you know why Sarah, Nalea, and I opened up this Nursery?"

"This is a nursery?"

Sarah came up behind me and slapped my head. "During our own island challenges, we came to understand that there was no greater gift than the miracle of life. This Nursery was built to help more of those miracles come into the world. Hold this." Sarah gave me a small, inconspicuous Pokemon egg. It practically glowed with warmth in my arms.

"But not everyone can see how special it is. At least, not right away." Amy continued. "It's the journeys we take in life, that make it worth living, and each battle is a celebration of that gift. That's why Pokemon and Trainer risk it all: to experience life to its fullest!"

"You mean, until it ends." I countered as I struggled to hold the egg steady. Its center of gravity continued to shift out of my arms, as if something were moving inside. The heat coming off of it was starting to make my arms uncomfortable to boot.

"It's true, in life, not everyone arrives at the same place, but to us, that's all the more reason to keep pushing: to finish the adventure for our friends who've already passed on." There was a sadness to Amy's voice. I had to wonder how many Pokemon she and Sarah might have lost.

"But that could end up killing more of us! Izzy...Aleng..." In response to my emotions, the egg seemed to grow even warmer. I swear, it also wasn't this big when Sarah had given it to me.

Sarah didn't sugar coat the facts. "Everyone has to die one day, but locking them up won't change that, and it'll only make their lives unfulfilled." A crack appeared in the shell. Followed quickly by another. The egg began to shake as if fighting my grip and I struggled to hold on. Both cracks stretched across the brittle surface until they joined, and pieces of the egg began to fall away. "If that was really how the world was supposed to work then eggs like this one would never hatch."

Light seeped from the breaks in the shell. Finally, the top portion of the egg finally fell away, and the radiance spilled outwards like a small volcano. Even while blinded, I could feel the last pieces of calcium falling away, and I was cradling something with fur softer than anything I had ever experienced. When the light subsided, I was holding a chocolate-brown puppy-like Pokemon; an Eevee.

"Impressive." Amy said. "Not everyone can just hatch an egg so quickly. You really are something special."

Her praise fell on deaf ears. I had to fight every instinctive urge to drop it! This was an Eevee, the pre-evolved form of Glaceon...the creature that killed Pona.

A comforting hand gently touched my shoulder: Mallow. "Let me hold him." It was like she knew exactly what my thoughts and emotions were. The Eevee snuggled into Mallow's arms with an expression of absolute bliss on its face. Lucky Eevee. Although I was definitely glad to be rid of the tiny hatchling, for some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. "This Eevee might become a Glaceon one day...but it might not. They can evolve into 8 different kinds of Pokemon, or it can stay an Eevee and be just as strong...but it will never know this kind of potential if it does not go out and face the world. Understand?"

"Understanding is easy." I said tersely. "I just don't know if I can _believe_ that."

"Try to, Charlee. Please."

For Mallow, I willed myself to see the newborn as an individual, and surprised myself when I started thinking of my past mistakes again: blaming those who had never really wronged me. Selene and her Pokemon-they had all been innocent, but I hadn't realized it until I after I had nearly destroyed them. This little Eevee, new to the world, was no different; but I wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"Hey, little guy." The Eevee yipped happily when I placed my hand on his head and started to scratch. He was an untarnished soul with untapped potential. I couldn't hold him accountable...and I wouldn't hold Aleng and Izzy back from reaching their full potential, either. "Now I have something else to thank you for, Mallow."

"So, you'll continue your Island Challenge?"

My eyes met hers. "Like you said, I still haven't taken your trial, yet."

After thanking the Nursery sisters, Mallow and I took our leave, although not before I decided to leave my new Eevee (Sparkle), and Jermaine the Crabrawler with them. I figured they could level up there for a bit.

"You don't understand!" Sarah tried to shout as we left; "This isn't that kind of-"

* * *

"I have to thank you for all of this, somehow." I sheepishly told Mallow. "Maybe I can start by buying dinner?"

"That'd be nice," she laughed;"but I'll take a rain-check on that. I do have one request, though. Applejack!"

"Bray!" The Ground-type instantly appeared its trainer's side.

"Sarah and Amy helped me realize that Applejack wasn't experiencing the growth that she deserves either, but with all the Grass-types I work with, I don't think she'll have the best experience with me." I didn't want to believe it, no matter how obvious it was. A gift! A new Pokemon...from MALLOW! "Charlee, can you please take Applejack with you on your journey?"

"YES! Totally, yes! Thank you!"

Mallow nodded in appreciation and handed me the Mudbray's pokeball. Then she knelt beside Applejack. "Look after Charlee for me, ok?"

"Mud-bray!" Only now, since she joined my team, it was sounding more like, "O-k!"

"So, Mallow, if you want to put Applejack through her paces, I would love to take your trial now."

She gave me that wonderful smile of hers. "You have to save the best for last; that's why dessert comes _after_ dinner. There are two other Captains on Akala, why don't you take them on first?"

"Will you be joining us, to cheer me on then?" I asked, perhaps a bit too hopefully.

"I'd love to...but I also want to come up with something special for your trial. When the sun comes up, we'll be saying 'Alola', for a while."

To call that a bummer would have been an understatement. I was silent for a moment, but just a moment. "Hey, the sun's not up yet though, right?"

"Right! Come on!"

* * *

The sky was as pink as lemonade, and the moon was a faint sphere in the sky, but the sun still hadn't risen by the time Mallow lead Applejack, Rotom, and I to an isolated hill on the ranch. The pale, crisp grass offered just enough traction for us to hike up the steep slope. There wasn't one among us wasn't heaving in exhaustion by the time we reached the top. I swear, Mallow and I were gasping in sync. I smiled. She smiled back. We both even went weak at the knees and collapsed at the same time, although that probably had more to do with our legs being stiff and sore from the hike. We found ourselves in the shadow of a massive volcanic vista to the east. So large was the summit, that it still blocked the sun, delaying the dawn.

"That's Mt. Wela, right?"

"Yes, but a lot of us here on Akala know it by another name: Haleakala, the House of the Sun. Every morning, dawn only officially begins when the sun peeks over the peak." Mallow looked back at me. "And this is the best place to watch!"

"Cool!" _Cool? Is that all?!_ Again, my mind scrambled for something better to say! Sitting with Mallow, waiting for sunrise; there could be no better moment! Movies had made sharing your feelings seem so easy: just reach out and kiss them. Right, then get slapped with a sexual harassment suit. Still, there had to be something! What if we held hands? That could work! Ugh, but even that action was fraught with hesitation! I watched her face: Mallow was fixated on the volcano. Now was my chance! Moving my hand towards hers felt like climbing the hill all over again! Argh! Just a few more inches…

" _DO-DO-DOOO!"_ the sudden music made us jump! Rotom! _"I JUST CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU!"_ It was the 2002 version of the song, performed by the A*Teens. The pokedex was ruining the moment! I swiped at him!

"Charlee, wait." To my amazement, Mallow began to sing the words by heart, from the heart. _"Wise man say, only fools rush in...but I can't help falling in love with you."_

The voices in my head were suddenly silent, and my heart finally knew what to say. " _Shall I stay? Would it be a sin...if I can't help falling in love with you."_

At last, the sun rose over Haleakala, blessing us in its warmth. As Mallow and I watched the sunrise, our hands somehow found each other and for the first time in my life, I felt at peace.

End Chapter 7

 **Author's Notes:** Wow. Romance was definitely NOT on the list of things I was planning to write about, and Mallow definitely wasn't considered a potential love interest when Nintendo first unveiled her. I suppose it's the mark of a good nuzlocke/game when characters take on roles of their own.

You may hear an argument that the word should be "Paniolo" instead of "Paniola". The correct term is Paniola, and anyway, it's the term that Gamefreak went with. Paniolo may be used in more books, but that just means that more people are wrong, haha!

In real life, you watch the sunrise from the summit of Haleakala (reservations are now required).

For the record, yes, I have been kicked in the head by a steer during a class trip rodeo. Allegedly. I only have my friends' words to go by.


	8. Building a Better Rival

The Team So Far:

 **Charlee** (male)

Species: Human

Nature: Naughty

 **Aleng** (male)

Species: Trumbeak

Nature: Rash

 **Izzy** (female)

Species: Alolan Grimer

Nature: Timid

 **Applejack** (female)

Species: Mudbray

Nature: Sassy

At the Nursery: (because I didn't know how it worked, OK?)

 **Jermaine** (male)

Species: Crabrawler

Nature: Quirky

 **Sparkle** (male)

Species: Eevee

Nature: Hardy

Deceased:

 **Pona** (female)

Species Rockruff

Nature: Rash

 _ **The Rival**_ **: A Pokemon Mahina(Moon)** _ **Nuzlocke**_

 **Chapter 8: Building a Better Rival**

"Grrrrrubin!" The white and orange larval Pokemon burst from of the leaf litter, flashing its mandibles with a look of murder in its eye. Harnessing its electric potential, the grub sent a Spark hurtling at its attacker!

Aleng barrel-rolled out of the electric bolt's path! It was a move he had mastered a dozen battles ago. The Trumbeak's instincts screamed at him to finish the job with an overpowered Pluck attack, but Aleng refrained, and patiently waited for his trainer's commands.

"Then, the sun came up over the volcano, and we both held hands! Man, it was awesome! Do you think I should've kissed her? I mean, everything was already so perfect!"

"Charlee!"

"Oh right! Weaken Grubbin just a little, with Fury Attack!"

Grubbin's soft body was pummelled by two or three swift jabs from Aleng's beak. It responded with Bite! Aleng grimaced from the sharp pain in his leg, but it was more of an annoyance than anything else. Should he weaken it more? What if he hit it too much the next time around? Aleng turned back to me, expecting orders.

"And she's smart, and she's funny, and she's-"

"Focus!"

"Sorry! Applejack is new to the team. I just want to make sure that she's informed!"

The Mudbray shook her head. "For cryin' out loud, I was there with you!"

Ok, fair point. "Well, then I'm talking to Grubbin! If he's joining our team, he should know-"

[Aleng used Pluck!]

[Critical Hit! It was super-effective! Wild Grubbin "fainted".]

"Oops."

"You did that on purpose!"

"Trust me Charlee, it was a mercy-killing."

A pair of greasy-grimery arms suddenly wrapped around my waist. "Don't worry Charlee, you'll catch a new friend next time."

"Aw, thanks Izzy." Her hugs always made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. Oh wait, no, that was her acid eating its way through my flesh. "Now, please, _please_ let go of me!"

Aleng was never one to let good food go to waste. He settled on the ground and tore into the fresh kill with more force than was probably necessary; the dismal outcome of the battle still irked him. On the whole, the Bug-type's flesh was gamey, not unlike Krabby meat, but with a distinct sweetness that came from feasting on fruits and plant Pokemon like Exeggcute. Perhaps most startling was the tingling sensation caused by the electricity that was still stored within Grubbin's body.

The soft clip-clop of hooves on grass interrupted Aleng's meal; it was Applejack. "Mercy killin', huh?"

"No Pokemon should have to listen to that garbage all day. Besides, you saw how distracted Charlee was. Tell me Grubbin wouldn't be better off.

"Can't argue with you there." The Mudbray sat down beside her new teammate. "Speaking of distractions, is there something else about all this that's bothering you?"

Aleng scarfed one last, particularly large piece of Grubbin. "Like what?"

"I dunno, like Charlee being in love?"

The bug in Aleng's throat took a wrong turn and he burst into a fit of violent coughing. "Could you be any less subtle?"

"Not my nature to waste time."

"Well, it's not in _my_ nature to be so open with a Pokemon that I just met."

The Mudbray shrugged. "Fair enough, but keeping feelings bottled up like that will only spell trouble. Take it from someone who knows a thing or two about honesty."

"Honesty, huh?" Aleng began scraping his beak against the ground to simultaneously clean and sharpen it. It was a habit that his mother had ingrained into him long ago. "In that case, what do _you_ make of all this? Mallow was your trainer before this, after all."

"Fine, I got nothin' to hide. Mallow may be young, but she has enough smarts to keep a level head. I dunno if I trust Charlee yet, but I trust Mallow to make the right calls."

Aleng started to laugh. "I guess opposites really do attract! Charlee's not ready for this kind of relationship."

"Then you should be sayin' something to him about it."

"It's cute that you think he can be reasoned with. Besides, he's my oldest friend. No matter what his choices are, I have to stick by him."

"Even if he ends up quitting his Island Challenge altogether?"

The Trumbeak grinned. "Then I'll drag him back, kicking and screaming."

"Glad we agree on that much."

"Hey Aleng!" I called. "Are you done snacking, or should Izzy have a turn leading the team?"

"Hold your er, Mudbrays Charlee! I'm coming!"

* * *

Another defeat. That in itself wasn't surprising, but he thought that he would have gotten used to it by now. Instead of becoming easier, each loss felt more crushing than the last. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try just once and-NO! No, he was too afraid to risk it. Hau took a deep breath, and once more donned his mask of cheerfulness. "Ha ha ha! Man, I lost again!"

His opponent glowered at him. The strange boy was clad in tattered street clothes. The dark reds and blacks stood in stark contrast with his pale complexion. "Are you even taking this seriously?"

Hau's heart skipped a beat, and something screamed at him from within. Deep down, he knew that he could...he _should_ be trying harder. "I am! So seriously! I'm seriously enjoying it!"

"Enjoying it? You can enjoy Pokemon battling when you put everything you have into it...which clearly, you haven't."

Those piercing green eyes had seen right through Hau's facade. The longer this conversation continued, the more Hau would have to face the ugly truth. He needed a distraction and quick!

I suppose that's what friends are for. "Hau?"

"Whoa! Hey, Charlee! This guy is plenny scary!"

I looked at the trainer standing behind Hau. "What? You mean that emo-kid?"

If looks could kill. "I'm Gladion! I battle for my partner, Null, to-"

"Check it out, Hau! I got a new Pokemon! Her name's Applejack!"

"Whoa cool! A Mudbray!"

"Hey! Are you guys listening to me?!" Gladion shouted.

"No! Because you're boring! Stop being boring!"

A single, large vein bulged on the blond boy's forehead. "Battle me. I won't take no for an answer."

"No."

"I just said you can't do that, idiot!" Emo boy threw a pokeball and a Zubat emerged.

I looked back at Aleng, Izzy, and Applejack; Route 5 had really done a number on our endurance levels and their exhaustion was obvious. "My team is too tired for a battle...but if it's a whooping ya be wanting!" My knuckles cracked and gravel crunched beneath my feet as I stomped forward to face the Zubat.

"Mallow told you to stop fighting in battles like this!" Applejack warned, but she was in no position to stop me.

"Please, look at that tiny thing! I'll be fine." That flimsy little bat was going down with one punch! Leaping high, I brought my fist down on that over-sized mosquito...and missed! Zubat squeaked in irritation and flapped above my head. "Slippery little-" the frustration fueled my aggression. I channeled that anger into my legs again and then jumped as high as I could! Again, the batty freak dodged my grasp. I landed, and immediately bounced back up but the Zubat was too quick for me! Jump! Jump! Jump! Miss! Miss! Miss! At this point, Zubat just hovered well out of my reach, mirthfully chittering at my anger. "Come down pipsqueak and fight like a man!" I panted. After about a minute of hopping up and down, I was starting to get tired.

"This is ridiculous. Zubat, just ignore him and stay out of his reach." Gladion commanded.

Angrily, I searched the ground for something I could throw at the stupid thing, but all I could scoop up was dirt.

[Charlee used Mud Shot! It had no effe-Holy crap! It actually hit!]

And man, did that piss off Zubat. It immediately forgot about Gladion's orders and latched onto my hand using Bite! At first, all I could feel was the squeeze of its weak little jaws, but after a second, those wicked sharp little teeth finally began to register like tiny fires across my knuckles!

"Aaaaaaahh! Get 'em off! GET 'EM OFF! Oh gosh, it hurts!"

Gladion clutched his face in frustration. "You are embarrassing yourself _and_ your Pokemon! Zubat, return!" In it's place, the emo trainer released another Pokemon- one that shared its trainer's foreboding stare. It was a strange kitbash of a Pokemon I had never seen before. While most of it's body was mammalian, the talons on its forelimbs were a weird mix of bird and insect, and I'm pretty sure it had a fish's tail. What the heck was with that crazy mask, though?

"Who's THAT Pokemon?"

"Type: Null, the Synthetic Pokemon. Due to the danger that thiz synthetic Pokémon may go on a rampage, it wearz a control mask to restrain its power. Hm, I wonder if that mask would work on you, Charlee?"

"Shut up, Rotom!"

"The time for jokes is over!" Gladion agreed. "Null, use Tackle!" The chimera rushed forward!

Time seemed to stand still. Suddenly I found myself rewinding back to the moment Selene's Growlithe had hit me with Takedown. The very memory brought a crippling pain to my chest! Then, Growlithe was gone and I was facing Type: Null again. I willed myself to dodge, but my body wouldn't respond! I was just...frozen.

"Charlee get out of there!" someone screamed.

"Growwwll!" As if materializing from my flashback, Growlithe appeared for real, and intercepted Null's attack!

 _Growlithe? Then that would mean-_

"Selene!" Hau shouted.

Sure enough, Growlithe withdrew as its trainer appeared on the battlefield. "If you're insisting on a fight, then I'll take you on, Gladion! Charlee! Hau! There's a Pokemon Center up ahead. Go!"

"Hey, you can't tell me what to-" but Aleng and Applejack were already dragging me toward the Pokemon Center.

I looked back towards the battle as Growlithe unleashed a blistering barrage of Embers, but the mystery Pokemon plowed through the firestorm, as if they were nothing more than falling tree blossoms! Selene shouted something and the puppy Pokemon avoided what would have been a devastating Tackle! Growlithe charged in for an immediate counter attack, but the strange beast was just as quick! Both blows connected in mid-air, and the combatants were thrown back by the force of the recoil!

* * *

I wish I had been able to see the rest of the fight, but that was when the Pokemon Center doors slammed shut. Hau's Pokemon were already being healed by the time I made it inside. Just as well; they needed it more, since they weren't even conscious anymore.

"All done! Both of your Pokemon are fully healed. Thank you and come again!"

"Mahalo Nurse um...Nurse!"

I stared at his pokeball tray. "Holy hell, Hau! You only have two Pokemon?"

"Haha, what can I say? Gladion out there only had two, so I wanted to make it a fair fight!" There an edge of nervousness in Hau's voice.

"Bullcrap! Even I've been able to catch more than just two!"

Aleng corrected me. "Most of us joined you by choice, we don't really count as 'captures."

"I'm trying to make a point here." I turned back to Hau. "What have you been doing all this time?"

"Hey, if it counts, I caught plenny types of malasada!"

"Are you even taking this seriously?"

It was the same question that I had heard Gladion ask. I expected Hau to give the same, stupid answer, but instead, he remained silent; his smile locked in place like the frozen image from a damaged DVD.

"Um, Hau?"

Then, his face flickered and the smile was replaced by a look of pressure and dread. Even as Hau fell on his knees, shivering as if hit by an Ice Beam, but that pained expression remained the same. "I am. I'm serious. Serious. Serious..."

"Is he going to be ok?" Izzy asked.

Aleng shook his head. "He's repressing some deep emotional issues."

"How do you know?"

"It's one thing for Hau to have a favorite food, but to binge on so many malasadas everywhere he goes? He's stress-eating."

I stared at Aleng. He noticed my gaze and shrugged. "My ability is Keen Eyes; I don't miss much."

Izzy looked up at me with concern in her eyes. "Charlee, you've been friends since forever, right? Please help him! Find out what's wrong!"

I nodded; if nothing else, I was as much curious as I was concerned. "Hau?" My friend wouldn't budge. If anything, his pain only seemed to intensify. "Hau, tell me what's going on. Don't you want to finish the Island Challenge?"

"Yeah I do! No duh!"

"Then why do you only have two Pokemon? Why are you losing to that Gladion-chump? No way you can suck that much. Your grandpa's the Kahuna, for crying out loud!"

"That's what I'm afraid of!" At this point, the entire Pokemon Center was looking at him.

This was the first time I had seen Hau so worked up before. "...I'm sorry, man."

"No, cuz, it's not you." Hau sighed. He tried to compose himself, but there was still a noticeable tremor in his voice. "Remember that time we were little and kumu lost it? I mean, when he really blew up?"

[Flashback]

"CHARLEEEE!"

[/Flashback]

"...no."

"I never seen anyone so huhu." Hau sobbed. "Still never. What if… what if that's inside me too?"

"Come on Hau, this is Alola. Trainers don't just go nuts with insane rage." Now the entire Pokemon Center was suddenly looking at me. "Ok fine! _MOST_ trainers don't go nuts with insane rage, but Hau, you aren't me (no matter how hard you wish!), and you definitely aren't your grandpa. In all the years we've hung out, have you once gotten super mad?"

"...no."

"You ever once feel like kicking my butt?" As if he had a chance.

"No!"

"There you go! And if you can keep your cool around me, you've got nothing to worry about!" I jumped on to the tabletop in excitement, and waited expectantly for Hau to join me, but he(along with everyone else), just kind of stared. "What now?"

"Mahalo and all Chuck, but I still don't know."

"What? You didn't understand what I just said?"

"Yea, but understanding's easy. Accepting, it's something else."

Why did that sound so familiar? Oh shoot! That's what I said to Mallow (yay, Mallow!) at the Nursery when they gave...me… "Sparkle."

"What?"

"I got an Eevee earlier today from some Breeders; his name's Sparkle. What do you think he'll evolve into?

"...I dunno?"

" _Exactly_! No one does! It doesn't matter what it's parents were, or even it's grandparents! Eevee can turn into a whole bunch of different Pokemon depending on how they grow up! Same as as you can become whatever kind of trainer you want!"

"That kinda makes sense, but-"

"I want you to take him, Hau." Climbing down from the table, I gathered Aleng, Izzy, and Applejack, and handed them over to Nurse Joy for some healing. "Go to the Pokemon Nursery at the end of Route 5. Tell them I sent you."

"You're giving me an Eevee? You sure?"

"He needs the training, and you need him as a reminder."

"Shoots! Mahalo chuck!"

"Yeah, yeah, just go before I change my mind!" I hurried Hau to the door and shoved him out just to make sure he didn't chicken out and stick around. "Alola!" I waved, to make sure he got the hint.

"Alola!" Hau turned to waved back, and nearly collided with Selene.

Oh crap! Selene! She was headed this way! I raced back inside the Pokemon Center. "Nurse! Are my Pokemon healed yet?"

"Please wait just a little bit longer." Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Being trapped in there with Selene was the _last_ thing I needed right now.

I wasn't scared of her, but our last encountered was well, awkward. If you can call being KO'ed her Growlithe awkward. I mean, I didn't think she would actually do it! I don't think even _she_ thought she would actually do it! Who knew what else she was capable of?! I wasn't scared. I just wanted to be out of there and never talk to her again.

"Nurse, are they done yet?" Not scared.

"Just a few more seconds please." Selene was getting closer to the door!

"Now?"

"All done! Your Pokemon are back to full health! We hope to-"

I grabbed my Pokemon, "Thanks, bye!" I turned to run, but Selene was suddenly right in front of me! Crap.

"Charlee, we need to talk." Selene's arms flanked me on either side and her fingers clenched at the faux granite counter of the reception desk. No escape now. She brought her face just inches from mine. Then, suddenly, her shoulders slouched and her entire demeanor changed. "I'm sorry."

"Um...what?"

In true Kanto-fashion, Selene practically prostrated herself before me, her hands now clasped as if in prayer. "I'm sorry for attacking you yesterday, Charlee. I can't say that it was an accident, but I never meant for it to happen. There was just so much pressure...and I was just so upset! I know that doesn't change anything, but I hope that you can forgive me."

She was showing weakness! My first instinct was to press the advantage and lay into her with some choice words. That was mom's favorite tactic! Then, I felt a sharp pain jabbing into my back. It was Aleng. He was out of his pokeball and flashed me a clear warning through his eyes: _Don't be an ass._

I scowled back at my friend, but the Trumbeak's glare remained firm. Rotom, Izzy, and Applejack looked on expectantly.

"Eh, no worries. It's not like I haven't screwed up before too." I said finally. Selene looked up with obvious relief on her face. "Besides, it's not like I actually got hurt. You're nowhere near strong enough to-Ow! Hey!" Aleng gave me another jab.

Selene started giggling. It pissed me off a little, and confused me a lot. Either way, I guess it was better than her being all weepy and apologetic. "I'm sorry for laughing, but Mallow did say you have a special relationship with your Pokemon. It brings out the best in everyone."

That caught me off-guard. "Wait, since when did you and Mallow talk?"

"After our um, incident, it took both of us to carry you to Paniola Ranch."

Dread crept into my heart. Did Selene know about Pona? No, Mallow wouldn't have told her! I had to know for sure. "Did the two of you talk about anything else?"

Selene shook her head. For a second, I was relieved. "But, when I returned to the hotel last night, Lillie filled me in. Another guest had told her about what happened earlier that day."

So She did know. I slumped back against the desk for support.

Fresh tears pooled in the corner of Selene's eyes. "I'm, I'm sorry for your loss. And I'm sorry again for all of the pain I put you through." I didn't know what to say at this point. Each revelation seemed to hit me harder than the last, but it was what Selene said next that really grabbed my attention. "I hope we can still continue together as friends. I won't blame you if you say no."

 _Friends? She thinks we can still be friends?_ I regarded Selene for longer than I actually needed to. I wanted to make sure that her sincerity was real; to make sure she could truly feel the power in my next words: "No." I savored her shocked expression for only a moment before I extended my hand to her. "We'll be better than friends. We'll be Rivals." The relief on Selene's face was strangely more pleasing to me than her confusion or distress that predated it. When she shook my hand, that good feeling transformed into the first, truly positive connection I had ever had with her. Still, no reason to get _too_ chummy so fast. "So, I take it that fight with Gladion wore you and your Pokemon out, eh?"

"Oh right! Excuse me please." I gladly stepped aside so she could temporarily hand her Pokemon to the nurse.

"Faced any Trial Captains on this island yet?"

"Not yet," Selene said happily; "but I heard that the Water Trial isn't far from here. I'm going right after I get my Pokemon healed."

"That's cool," I grinned and returned my Pokemon to their balls; "but not if I get there first!"

"Hey!"

Before Selene could protest another word, I was out the door and sprinting for the trial site. Let the rivalry begin!

 **Author's Notes:** So it took eight chapters, but we're finally starting to live up to the title of this story. Ultimately, this content didn't fit in with the pacing of the next chapter, so I padded it out by attempting to explore some of the dynamics between characters new and old. Selene's actions this chapter compared to the last one can seem pretty jarring, but I wanted to emphasize that all of us are prone to making stupid mistakes throughout our lives. The important thing is that we learn from them to avoid repeats. Some of us may take longer than others. That said, the next three chapters will be less about character development and more about Trials!


	9. The Wishiwashi Warrior

The Team So Far:

 **Charlee** (male)

Species: Human

Nature: Naughty

 **Aleng** (male)

Species: Trumbeak

Nature: Rash

 **Izzy** (female)

Species: Alolan Grimer

Nature: Timid

 **Applejack** (female)

Species: Mudbray

Nature: Sassy

At the Nursery, because I didn't know how it worked, OK?

 **Jermaine** (male)

Species: Crabrawler

Nature: Quirky

 **Sparkles** (male)

Species: Eevee

Nature: Hardy

Deceased:

 **Pona** (female)

Species Rockruff

Nature: Rash

 _ **The Rival**_ **: A Pokemon Mahina(Moon)** _ **Nuzlocke**_

 **Chapter 9: The Wishiwashi Warrior**

The race was on! Most of Route 5 was already behind us, with Brooklet Hill not far ahead! I'll have to thank Selene for that 'generous' head start, _after_ I completed Akala Island's first trial!

"That waz not very sportsmanlike." Rotom chided.

"The Island Challenge waits for no trainer, so neither should I!"

"Bwoor!" the all-too familiar cry of a Tauros put a stopper in my good mood. Though I knew I shouldn't, I looked behind me. Selene was coming up fast on her Ride Pokemon!

"Thanks for showing us the way to the trial site!" my rival teased as her Tauros left us in their dust! I put every last ounce of energy I had into catching up, but my feet were starting to feel like lead, my lungs strained for oxygen, as lactic acid burned in my legs! I kind of sucked at running.

That's when Selene's cell phone began to ring, with Hau's name on the caller ID. It would have been irresponsible to ride around while talking on the phone, so naturally Selene pulled hard on the reins and brought the Ride Pokemon to a sudden stop. So sudden in fact, that before I could react, my momentum had taken colliding headfirst with the okole of Tauros! The best I could manage was a muffled scream, what with my face being snugly sandwiched in its buttcheeks. I was only freed from the indignity by the force of a particularly powerful fart. Yay me. Great, I'm going to be smelling methane for months.

"Alola Selene!" The Kahuna's grandson's face suddenly appeared on the video chat screen. "Yo, I still don't have Chuck's phone number. Is he with you right now?"

In my daze, I saw Selene's face peering cautiously down at me. "Sort of."

"Can you put him on? It's important."

Selene recalled Tauros and held her phone to my face, all while whispering something that had better been an apology.

"Hello?" I groaned.

"Yo! I found the nursery just like you said, but security is tight! They need to make sure it's really ok for me to take your Eevee!"

The familiar face of a female breeder suddenly shoved Hau from view. "Charlee, you there?"

My memory strained for a name. "Sarah?"

"Does Mallow know you're seeing another girl?"

That comment snapped me to full consciousness! Selene and I exchanged awkward glances for a second. "We're just rivals!"

"Yeah, whatever. Eesh, you look like hell. Did a Tauros sit on you or something?"

"...Maybe."

"Anyway, so is it true, what this Hau kid is saying? You want him to have the Eevee that you hatched? From an egg that WE gave you?" there was more than a hint of judgement in her voice.

"Yeah, I think they need each other more than I do." I said finally. Sarah gave me stink-eye, before letting Hau speak again.

"Mahalo again, cuz! Listen, I caught a Grubbin on the way over. Only fair that we make this a trade, so you want me to name it anything for you?"

A Grubbin? Awesome! I thought for a moment on names. "How'bout Hanzo?"

"Hanzo?" Selene, Hau, and Sarah repeated.

"Yeah. You guys ever seen _Kubo and the Two Strings_?"

"No."

"No."

"No."

"Yes." There was suddenly a girl standing with us, sporting blue hair wearing slippas on her feet. A breezy white sailor top and blue wader pants really emphasized her aquatic motif.

"We'll call you back." Selene whispered to Hau.

The stranger continued to stare intently at the two of us with a cheery grin on her face. "Hello. I'm Lana. I serve as the captain of Waikani Falls."

"Why-Conny?" Selene utterly butchered the name.

"Waikani Falls. That's the old Alolan name for Brooklet Hill." I explained.

Lana nodded. "You look like able-bodied Trainers. Could I ask for your help with something?"

"Sure!" I answered.

"Uh...sure?" Selene was more wary.

"Then follow me. This way, please." She practically vanished down the path without another word! For such a short girl, Lana could move!

"Doesn't this seem a little strange to you?" Selene asked, as we raced to catch her.

"Pfff. Are you kidding?" I answered excitedly, "This reeks of a set-up!" I ran even faster.

The melody of cool, running water reached our ears as we neared the site. Upon rounding a final bend, we were welcomed by a sight that could only be described as magical. White-froth waterfalls splashed into pools of liquid crystal. The sparkling mist kicked up by the churning water refracted the sun's light to create rainbows that danced over the surface of each lagoon.

The Trial Captain was waiting for us at the shoreline; Lana gestured to a ripple in the distance. "So, brave trial-goers, I would like to ask you to investigate that splashing there and find out what exactly is causing it."

Selene stared out at the water. "You cannot possibly expect us to simply swim out there to-"

"I'm game!" The searing mid-day sun was burning a hole through my skin, and that cool aquatic paradise looked SO inviting! I flung off my shirt and tore off my pants!

"EEEK!" Both girls screamed.

"I-I have a lovely gift for you instead." Lana stuttered. Trying to shield her eyes she beckoned a pair of Lapras to paddle gracefully towards us.

It would be tempting to have my first official ride Pokemon... "Nah, no thanks. I like swimming."

"Just take the damn Pokemon and put your clothes back on!" Selene screamed.

"Come make me! Hahaha!" I leapt on board the nearest Lapras. "Hey, we never did finished our little race!" And this time, Selene wouldn't be the only person with a Ride Pokemon. "Last one to the target is a rotten Exeggcute!"

"You're crazy if you think I'll be staring at your pantsless butt this entire Trial!" Selene shouted from the other Lapras. She was definitely motivated, but I grew up around the water! Nothing could stop me now! Nothing, except for the sudden stream of bubbles that blindsided me so hard, I fell off of Lapras! From beneath the surface, I looked up to see Selene's ride glide effortlessly past, while my ride Pokemon immediately circled back to pick me up.

I came up cursing and sputtering. "Who's the wise guy?!"

"Dewpider, the Water Bubble Pokemon." Rotom answered helpfully from above my head. "When it comez across enemies or potential prey, thiz Pokémon smashes its water-bubble-covered head into them." The culprit in question was still bobbing not five feet in front of me, with it's buggy looking head in a bubble.

A Pokemon? Oh, I was so going to get revenge on this guy. "Izzy, go!" The fact that she was comprised of oils allowed my Grimer to practically walk on water. Now was the perfect time to test out an attack that she had recently learned. "Say hello, with Poison Fang!"

"Hello!" Izzy said innocently, right before she made a kissy-face and launched herself at Dewpider! The spider reeled under the um, 'assault', but he didn't seemed to have been poisoned. He fought back with Bubble Beam! Izzy raised her hands to shield herself from the onslaught of soapy spheres, but the sheer number of them overwhelmed her! Emboldened, the Dewpider pressed his advantage with Bug Bite to further weaken Izzy's health! In his hubris however, the Dewpider had once again left himself open to attack.

"Use another Poison Fang!" This time, Izzy's 'teeth' managed to sink into the Dewpider's watery bubble helmet, and it promptly exploded, leaving his head high and dry! Izzy followed through to make lip contact, planting a slimy wet one right on Dewpider's lips. What. The. Heck? The Bug-type must have had the same thought because his eyes bulged in shock and, for a moment, I thought they might pop like his helmet. Then, the Pokemon fell to his knees, gasping for air as he clutched his throat in desperation.

"Ok, is he doing that because of the poison, or because you kissed him?"

Izzy could only shrug.

"It iz weakening fast." Rotom warned. And Dewpider's dramatics weren't helping the toxins in his body.

I fished through my bag for a pokeball. I needed to catch _something_ in this area, and more importantly, I couldn't just let the stupid thing suffer. "Pokeball, go!" It's health was so low, one pokeball was all it took.

"Yay! We caught Dewpider!" Izzy cried happily.

From Lapras' back, I swabbed Dewpider with an antidote and watched as Selene completed the Trial Captain's task. That should have been me, over there. Stupid bug.

"Oh my... So it was Wishiwashi kicking up all that water?" Lana's voice was practically _dripping_ with faux surprise as we paddled back to shore. "Even a little Wishiwashi can make such big waves..."

"Selene caught a _Wishiwashi?!_ " And all I had was this... _bug_.

"Oh me. What is that? I can hear wild splashing from over there... It sounds even larger than what we just saw." Lana said.

Selene and I both rolled our eyes. "Do you want to race again?" She asked.

I looked at the pokeball in my hand. Even if Dewpider was cured of poisoning, he needed a Pokemon Center. "Just go and do the trial first. I'll catch up later." I bitterly replied.

* * *

"All done! Both of your Pokemon are fully healed. Thank you and come again!"

"You have my thanks. I owe you my life." Dewpider said as we exited the Pokemon Center.

"Yeah, well your life cost me another loss to Selene." I sulked. "Can't believe she caught a Wishiwashi."

Dewpider was momentarily taken aback. Momentarily. "I understand your bitterness about missing the Water Trial, but my stalling you was a tactical decision. Had your team proceeded, you may have been killed."

"You honestly expect me to believe that?"

"I expect you to see for yourself." Well that was ominously vague. We made our way back to Waikani Falls. Across the bridge up ahead, someone was staggering weakly towards us, with a Pokemon cradled in her arms.

"Selene!" Dewpider and Rotom immediately rushed forward to help the wounded owl. Rowlet's evolved form? Didn't matter. I summoned the rest of the team. "Aleng, take care of her partner. Applejack, Izzy, help me with Selene. What happened?"

"W-wishiwashi! The Totem Pokemon is a Wishiwashi! Dartrix, he's...he's…" Selene started to choke on her words. The pain - the concern in her voice, was all too familiar.

"It's ok, Selene. He's still breathing, so let's get everyone back to the Pokemon Center." On the way, I reflected on the fate of her partner. What if she ends up losing her first Pokemon? I could recall all too vividly how frantic I was when Aleng had been that badly hurt; and then, when Pona...when she died. How would Selene handle such a loss?

Nurse Joy was able to stabilize the critically wounded Pokemon, though he would be out of commission for some time. When Selene was given the news, she finally allowed the sedatives to take effect and her own healing process began. To no one's surprise, Lillie was listed as their emergency contact and the Pokemon Center notified her immediately. As soon as the nurses assured us that everything was under control, our team sequestered ourselves to have a meeting.

"I've never seen Selene in such bad shape!" Aleng exclaimed between bouts of stress-preening.

"My dad always warned me about Wishiwashi." I said grimly. "The stronger ones can summon others to create a School Form. It's scary powerful."

"And this one has Totem Pokemon powers." Applejack concluded. "Dartrix shoulda had the type advantage! I hate to say it, Charlee, but I can't help you in this fight. One hit from that fish, and I'll be gone faster than a Vanillish on the Fourth of July."

"Yeah, I figured. So that leaves us with Aleng and Izzy; any ideas?"

"I believe you are forgetting about me." Dewpider said.

I wasn't that comfortable with the idea of sending out a Pokemon I just caught to go against a Totem Wishiwashi. "You're already helping with the info that you're giving us. Speaking of which, is there anything else you can tell us?"

There was a look of mild frustration on Dewpider's face, but he didn't say it outright. "As a Totem Pokemon, it's defenses are incredibly strong. In addition, the Wishiwashi is able to summon Alomomola that are capable of using Heal Pulse. This strategy is frequently employed to negate damage and maintain its powerful School Form."

"Oh great, because it wasn't tough enough to begin with" Aleng grumbled.

Surprisingly, the solution to our problem came from Izzy. "What if I used Poison Fang, like how I did it with Dewpider?"

Her suggestion immediately triggered a question that had been lingering in the back of my head. "That reminds me, why did it look like you were trying to kiss Dewpider instead of just, you know, _biting_ him?"

Izzy's dark green complexion began to flush a weird shade of pink. "Well...biting only works if you are injecting venom through a wound. For poison to be effective, they have to ingest it. So to use Poison Fang, I have too…"

"Oh yuckyuckyuckyuckyuck!" I shouted.

Aleng gagged. "And I thought you were gross before!"

Everyone else just laughed. Still, wearing down Wishiwashi with severe poisoning was a brilliant plan. I patted the little Grimer on the head. "That's a great idea, but with all of Wishiwashi's healing options, we need someone who can heh, _soak_ up it's hits long enough for poisoning to make a difference.

"Leave that to me." Dewpider said. "I have the strength to handle Wishiwashi."

His enthusiasm was starting to get on my nerves. "Thanks for the offer, but-"

"Dewpider _izz_ a Water-type." Rotom reminded me, yet again. "He can rezist the Totem's attacks."

"He's a bug!" I snapped. "Do you know how much training we'll have to do, just to catch him up to our level?"

"And doesn't he deserve that?" Aleng asked. "I know better than anyone that Bug types are easy pickings, but he's a member of our team now, and he _did_ keep us from ending up like Selene." I absolutely _hated_ that Aleng was contradicting me. HATED it; but he was right. I wanted to say as much, and apologize, but my pride held my tongue.

"Selene isn't the only victim. The Trial Captain doesn't so much control the Totem, as she does placate it." Dewpider said. "The Wishiwashi have been preying on the Pokemon of trainers for as long as I can remember. Worse still, without revealing themselves, they can create powerful undercurrents in the pools to take the lives of innocent swimmers. Such deaths can then be labeled accidents to avoid drawing the Kahuna's attention. When their food supply is scarce however, they turn on those of us unfortunate enough to live under their rule. You liberated me from Wishiwashi's tyranny. I wish to do the same for my brethren, so please, let me help you."

The bug's heroic resolve was as campy as hell, but he had me grinning ear to ear. I was a sucker for such things. "Fine, we have a plan, and we have a new player on our team. By the way, you have a name?"

Dewpider shook his bubbled head sadly. "As slaves, we were never allowed the luxury."

"Well you aren't a slave anymore."

He was thoughtful for a moment. "In that case, there is something that you can call me. I...am BugLightyear!"

Well, that worked for me. "Welcome to the team, BugLightyear. Now let's get going!"

"Where to?" Izzy asked.

"To Infini-" the Dewpider tried to answer, before I cut him off.

"To train!"

* * *

Poliwag grimaced at the oozing obsecnity that had intruded upon her home. How DARE the Grimer come here! How dare it contaminate her precious water supply!

"Hi! My name's Izzy! I'm sorry, but-"

Poliwag wouldn't give the abomination a chance to finish. She lashed out with Double Slap!

"Eeek!" The Grimer raised her arms to defend, but Poliwag pressed the attack!

"Good block Izzy, now fight back with Poison Fang!"

The Grimer had a trainer?! Poliwag's soft lips were suddenly overwhelmed by a powerful kiss, containing charp crystallized teeth, coated with toxins! No time to cry out in pain; Poliwag broke away before any of the poison could take effect! Unwilling to risk being poisoned again, Poliwag struck with Bubble! There was an explosion of mist and water as her attack hit home, but when the moisture cleared, it was no longer a Grimer that she was facing, but a Dewpider!

"I understand your anger, but I cannot allow to you harm my friends." It declared.

"BugLightyear, use Bug Bite!" I commanded! I was a little bummed that the Poison Fang didn't work out, but we could hone the strategy later. We needed to be absolutely sure that our new Pokemon could hold his own in a fight. So far, he didn't disappoint.

While Poliwag was thrown off by the sudden opponent swap, the Dewpider was able to rush in, and his Bug Bite sent Poliwag's health into the red! The aggression in the amphibian's eyes slowly morphed into panic as it sent out a distress call. Another Poliwag appeared in response to the SOS, but BugLightyear methodically defeated the first one and then turned his attention to the new arrival! It didn't matter which attacks the enemy Pokemon threw at him: as the pokedex had predicted, BugLightyear's typing and natural defenses allowed him to weather their onslaught.

Even I had to admit, it was impressive. "I guess I owe you one Rotom; our new teammate is levelling up faster than I thought!"

With a final surge of effort, BugLightyear tossed the last Poliwag back into the abyss from whence it came. After a few gurgling bubbles, the water's surface showed no signs that the Pokemon had ever been there.

We spent the rest of the afternoon grinding through battle after battle. When the health or fighting strength of one teammate fell too low, another would switch in for them. After all was said and done, we were exhausted beyond imagination. "Come on guys, let's get out of here."

"Where to now?" Applejack asked.

Once again, BugLightyear tried to answer, "To-"

"The Pokemon Center. We need food and rest."

* * *

When the entire team was completely healed, we found ourselves a table for a quick dinner and some time to talk story before bed because hey, we earned it. Oh man, cheap cafeteria grindz was never so satisfying! The Katsu was dry and tough like jerky, but the way it crunched between our teeth was unbelievably satisfying! The salty gravy on the Loco Moco overwhelmed the flavors of the burger patty and fried egg, and yet the starchy bed of white rice kept it from becoming unbearably strong. And the Mac Salad? How could you go wrong with potatoes and mayo!

"Gotta say I'm impressed, BugLightyear." Applejack said, between mouthfuls. "It's nice to know there's someone else here who can tank as many hits as me."

BugLightyear turned to acknowledge the congrats, but a troubled look remained on his face. "Even knowing it had to be done, it brings me no pleasure to defeat innocent wild Pokemon."

"Pff. If they were so innocent, _they_ wouldn't have attacked _us_." I pointed out. "Besides, like you said, there's no other way for us to get stronger. It's not like we have a ton of Rare Candies lying around."

"Only becauzze you keep eating them."

"Shut up, Rotom!"

Izzy had long since grown use to this bickering, and paid us little attention. "I'm really glad that you're part of our team now, and I just know that we'll be able to beat Wishiwashi and help the other Pokemon that live here!"

BugLightyear smiled warmly at her, but there was no masking the worry in his eyes. "Yes, I have full confidence in our strength and your strategy...but still, I'm concerned about what happens after we succeed."

A puzzled look crossed the Grimer's face.

"History is rife with freedom fighters who became the monsters they sought to replace. We just spent several hours battling the very Pokemon that we were trying to save. What if we become the same despotic rulers as the Wishiwashi?"

I laughed at his perfectly justified fear. "No worries! Since we're already aware of that pitfall, we can avoid it! Besides, we won't be corrupted because our cause is just, and our goals are pure!"

"Said every future dictator, ever." Applejack chuckled.

"It's a moot point." At once, all eyes were on Aleng. "We aren't sticking around after the Totem Pokemon is beaten. There are more trials to overcome." Suddenly, his Keen Eye was on me, and with it, everyone else's expectant stare. "Right, Charlee?"

I hadn't really put much thought into what happened next. If we stayed, would that make me the new Trial Captain? Cool! Oh man, I bet it would come with so many perks and-

"Charlee!" Aleng's voice pierced my daydreams of grandeur, and suddenly I was looking at my fully assembled team again.

Seeing all of their faces...I guess it wouldn't be fair to call it quits after just two Trials. I downed the last of my fruit punch - all sugar and no fruit, of course. "You bet! We're going to finish this challenge!"

Somehow, our decision made BugLightyear feel even less at ease. "Someone will still have to take over."

"Excuse me, Charlee?" said a familiar and gentle voice.

"Lillie!" Same pearly dress and hat, same spotlessly porcelain skin. She wasn't alone, either. "Selene?" Something was definitely different: it was like her personality had reset itself. The way Selene held herself, the expression on her face: the trainer had become the timid, withdrawn girl from when we had first met. It wasn't hard to guess why. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm...I'm fine." I wondered if she was putting on a brave face, or if maybe she hadn't lost all of her nerve after all.

"May we please sit down?" Most of the Pokemon took this as their que to retreat into their pokeballs for the night, allowing Lillie and Selene to place their food trays down across from me. "We're very sorry for interrupting, but-Nebby, get back in the bag!" The excitable Cosmog had once again wormed its way free from Lillie's gym bag, and it was already attracting curious eyes. "We think that we can help you with your revolution." Lillie wrestled Nebby back into the confines of her luggage and then nodded to Selene.

My rival held up a blank, unassuming pokeball. "I...I caught another Wishiwashi earlier in the trial. He's almost at a high enough level to activate his School Form; I just need to finish training him."

"Apparently, that's why Selene found him alone: Wishiwashi are cast out from the school once they grow too strong." Lillie explained. "If you can succeed in defeating the Totem Pokemon, we can use this Wishiwashi to rally the others."

"He'll become their new leader of the school at the trial site - one that can lead responsibly."

"Well that works for me, but you have a Wishiwashi now and you've seen what they can do! Are you sure you want to give up a strong Pokemon like that?"

This time, I was sure I didn't imagine the resolve that flashed through Selene's eyes. "Dartrix didn't deserve to be hurt like that. If it will make a difference, then I'll do whatever it takes. No other Pokemon will have to suffer from the Wishiwashi."

* * *

I hadn't realized how badly all of us needed a good night's rest; if I dreamed, I was too tired to remember it. First light found us back at the grind, and there were plenty of wild Pokemon to go around! While Selene and Lillie worked on Wishiwashi, our team focused on preparing BugLightyear for the big showdown.

"That's it! Bug Bite! Great! Now try Bubble Beam!"

"Wishiwashi, use Brine!"

"Izzy, practice Poison Fang!"

"It won't be much longer now!" Rotom declared excitedly; "Your Dewpider iz almost ready to evolve!"

"How do you know that?"

"I browzed Bulbapedia!"

"Hey, you hear that, Selene? I bet BugLightyear can level up and evolve before your Wishiwashi gets its School Form!"

"You think so? Bring it!" Maybe it was the sheer anticipation of seeing what our Pokemon would turn into. Or perhaps it was more fun simply because we were taking the time to beat up everything that moved! Either way, this part of our rivalry was having a positive effect on both of us, but especially Selene. Against the energetic yellow, orange, and red sky, she seemed like her bolder self again: the joy of life sparkled in her eyes and in her smile. For now at least, our shared adventure was able to help her move past the trauma of her Trial. Even Lillie, who didn't participate in battles, was enjoying herself.

We plowed our way back towards Waikani Falls in an almost constant state of battle against whatever was dumb enough to pick a fight. It was a path we all had taken before, but somehow, this time the competition felt different from our previous race. Who was it again, that said that it wasn't the destination, but the journey?

[Wishiwashi grew to Lvl. 20!]

"Way to go, Wishiwashi!" Her new Pokemon's growing strength only added to Selene's resurging confidence.

For that, I was happy for her. Still, it kind of pissed me off that she won, yet _again_. Fortunately, there was another way to settle the score between us. "Congrats. Now I can test our Poison Fang strategy against a real Wishiwashi! We haven't had a real match in like, forever!"

"I guess you have a point." Selene _sounded_ hesitant, but her body language- how she leaned into a crouch, the way her hand gripped her pokeball: it spoke of someone more than eager to test out her new accomplishment.

"BugLightyear, go!"

Selene was about to reply in kind with her own pokeball, when suddenly a _second_ Dewpider leapt into the fray! "Dewpider!"

"What the heck is this?!" If this wild Pokemon wanted a beating so bad, we'd be only too happy to oblige. "BugLightyear, let's show this party crasher that there's only room for _one_ Dewpider around here!"

"Wait, Charlee. I know this Pokemon. He's from my old colony!"

"Dew-dew. 'Pider dew!" the newly-arrived arachnid began to frantically wave its arms in the air, to the point of almost teetering off balance. I had the distinct impression that it was begging for help.

"Our colony is under attack." BugLightyear confirmed for all of us; "It's the Totem Pokemon." All of us exchanged grave glances. BugLightyear immediately began heading for the water, but I cut him off. Understandably, he protested. "We agreed that I would face this monster! My people are being slaughtered!"

"And the same will happen to you, unless you hurry up and evolve!" I shouted back. "Aleng, Izzy! We'll hold off the Totem Pokemon long enough for BugLightyear to catch up. Applejack, Rotom, bring him to us as soon as he's ready."

BugLightyear stamped several of his feet in defiance. "By the time we get there, it will be too late!"

"Then you better find a way to get stronger, fast." I glanced from him, to the newly arrived Dewpider, and I was suddenly seized by an overwhelming sense of self-loathing. The two spiders definitely knew each other, and they probably had a strong history. Had I really just suggested what I think I did? The thought put a sick feeling in my stomach. I turned and raced towards the lagoons, with Aleng and Izzy in hot pursuit! Running from that uncomfortable scenario was cowardly, but what other choice was there? If we didn't hurry, there would be nothing left to save from the Wishiwashi! As far as I knew though, it may have still been for nothing. Ultimately, the final decision to act rested with BugLightyear.

Here was a Pokemon he had grown up with; it was one of the many that he called family, and that he had sworn to save. "I can't. I can't do this."

{Please, brother.} the younger Dewpider pleaded. {You are the only one strong enough. I know it is unfair for anyone to force this upon you, but please, do what you must!}

"What are they saying, Selene?" Lillie whispered.

"You don't want to know."

BugLightyear tried to focus on controlling his breathing, but each breath seemed more ragged with emotional strain. "All my life, I wanted to grow stronger and evolve, to protect those I cared about. If I strike you down, I would be no protector."

{If you lack the resolve...then maybe I will take your place instead!} Dewpider lunged! BugLightyear caught his attacker almost lazily, and pinned the junior Pokemon to the ground. He had immediately seen the attack for what it truly was: a desperate bid to force him into fighting out of self defense.

{I would do the same to you if I could! Please! The sacrifice that I make, any pain I must endure, it will help you save our home. I beg of you! Not just for myself, but for all of us!}

BugLightyear shut his eyes, but he couldn't shut out the constant pleading. Time was precious enough as it was! What was he to do?

* * *

"Charlee-"

"I know what you're going to say, Aleng." I said as we raced past the tidepools. "It's unfair of me to put BugLightyear in that position. Irresponsible too. I get it and trust me, I like it even less than you do!" To say I hated myself at that point would have been an understatement, but to my surprise, Aleng smiled.

"At least you're aware of it. I'm impressed by how seriously you're taking all of this."

"Um, excuse me," Izzy cut in, "but how do we fight the Totem Pokemon without BugLightyear?"

"Relax Izzy. I have a backup plan."

"Really?" both of them asked.

"Yeah. We'll group up...and hit it 'til it dies!"

"Oh, we are SO screwed."

It wasn't hard to figure out where the Wishiwashi was hiding: the supernatural presence of driving rain, surging waves, and fleeing Dewpiders was a pretty good indication that we were getting close. The once beautiful pools had become a tempestual nightmare. Trial Gates slammed shut as we reached the largest lagoon; all but confirming that we were on the right track. Looking back where we came, we could see Lana, watching with her face a mixture of apprehension and worry.

Lapras was summoned from the ride pager, and as we climbed on-board, I turned back and shouted just loud enough for the Trial Captain to hear, "YOU SUCK, LANA!"

The storm clouds were so thick, it may as well have been night again. Ice-cold, heavy rain pummelled our backs like hail stones! For every stroke Lapras took forward, a huge wave pushed us two strokes back! By the time we made it to the deepest part of the bay, the four of us were frozen and soaked all the way through, but still, our foe remained out of sight.

"HERE, FISHY-FISHY-er, WISHI-WISHI!" I shouted above the roar of the storm. "STOP BEING A MOBY DICK-LESS AND SHOW YOURSELF!"

The entire sea suddenly became solid and rose up beneath us! Just how big was this thing?! The displaced water from its arrival was enough to create a small tsunami that pushed us half-way back to shore! Aleng struggled to stay airborne, while Izzy and I clung to Lapras for dear life!

An entire island of shimmering blue and silver exploded from the surf! The beast's entire, grotesque body pulsed and rippled unnaturally! It's very scales and limbs dangled from odd angles, as if afflicted by leprosy. It took me a moment to realize that those flopping body parts were actually comprised of individual fish! There must have been dozens-no, hundreds! Maybe even thousands! The beast's head was a frightening amalgamation of smaller sardines, piling on top of one another, and when it opened its maw, the cry that emerged was a hideous harmony of wailing Wishiwashis - a symphony of shrieks that pierced the sky!

"GWOOOH!"

"Oh, this is gonna _suck_. Izzy, go!"

We had no intention of letting this scary strong opponent make the first move, so Izzy rushed in and smooched her Poison Fang onto the squirming mass that was the Totem Pokemon's lips. The monster reared up and roared to the heavens, thrashing it's mighty face in an attempt to dislodge the parasitic Grimer! Izzy held on though. Her life, hell, ALL our lives depended on it! I don't know where she found the strength, but she lasted long enough to make sure that her Poison Fang finally took effect. The knowledge that it was now slowly being corrupted seemed to piss Wishiwashi off more than anything, and that anger finally gave it the motivation to shake Izzy loose.

The Grimer braced herself to receive the full fury of this leviathan's wrath, but it took all of us by surprise when instead, it roared once more, and as if responding to the Totem Pokemon's commands, the terrible weather intensified: Rain Dance!

"It's trying to power up! Hurry and use Minimize!" Maybe if the monster missed its attacks enough times, we wouldn't need BugLightyear. It was wishful thinking, of course. Several smaller poisoned Wishiwashi fell away from the School Form, but countless more took their place. It would still be a long while before Izzy's attack would have any real effect. The Totem Pokemon would never allow us to live that long. As one, all of the School sardines opened their mouths and the separate streams of water that flew forth coalesced into a massive single Water Gun that hit with the force of a Hydro Pump!

"Izzy!" For a second, I thought the sheer kinetic energy of the blast had diluted her into oblivion! But somehow, the little Grimer managed to keep it together. Options ran through my head. _Can we try Disable on the Water Gun? What if Wishiwashi knows another attack? Izzy can't take another hit!_ It was not worth risking her life over. "Take a rest. You did your job."

"Then it's my turn now!" Aleng declared! Even with his feathers already water-logged, he rushed head-long at the Totem Pokemon and through the worst of another Water Gun! "The way I see it, I'm fast enough to land at least one Pluck on these guys before they can hit back."

"Do it!"

Even in the violent rain, Aleng's Keen Eye kept his aim true as he picked up speed. With his spear-like bill, the Trumbeak surprised all of us when he was able to punch _through_ his target and send smaller Wishiwashi scattering from the main group! That certainly weakened the Totem Pokemon! The real prize however, was the Sitrus Berry that Aleng had stolen to recover some much-needed health! With a furious bellow, the Totem Pokemon unleashed another Water Gun that struck my partner out of the sky!

"Aleng!" He careened violently in a downward spiral, but by some miracle, Aleng was able to spread his wings and catch air, just before he hit the water! "That hurt."

"Yeah no kidding." At least the Totem Pokemon was hurting too. Between Aleng's Pluck and Izzy's poison, a significant chunk of Wishiwashi's health was gone.

"You look terrible. Can you keep fighting?"

Aleng laughed. "Not to worry. I've got a new trick up my sleeve."

[Aleng used Roost!]

In spite of the raging storm around us, a peaceful expression spread across the Trumbeak's face. As we watched, he began glowing with restorative energy, and the signs of damage that wracked his body, disappeared. It didn't take him quite back to full health, but it was definitely close! Our relief was short-lived, however, when another over-powered Water Gun suddenly struck!

"It's ok." Aleng coughed, "I think I can keep Roosting until the poison takes care of him!" More Wishiwashi were falling away, and the infectious wound seemed to be worsening. We might actually pull this off!

That was when, at the Totem Pokemon's beckon, an Alomomola suddenly rose from the depths! Never before had the sight of a pink, heart-shaped fish filled us with such dread.

"Keep using Roost!" What else could we possibly do? Alomomola's Heal Pulse absolved Wishiwashi of the pain we had worked so hard to inflict. That alone, was psychologically damaging to us enough, but another of the Totem Pokemon's Water Guns ensured that we took actual physical damage as well. Miraculously, Aleng endured, if only by sheer force of will. Pummeled by the sea and drained of his energy, my partner could barely stay afloat on the water's surface, never mind fly or fight back. What should we do now? What _could_ we do? Roost could no longer forestall Wishiwashi's wrath, and both of our enemies knew it! Together, the fish Pokemon bore down on Aleng; readying their Water Guns for a brutal torrential execution!

It was then, that the faint fanfare of triumphant trumpets cut through the bleakness of our predicament; what the hell? It took under a second to realize that the theme from _Star Command_ was coming from Rotomdex! And if he managed to make it here, then…

"BugLightyear, to the rescue!" An impossibly huge arthropod flew over our heads and intercepted both enemy attacks, making them look like splashes from a garden hose! This was not the same BugLightyear that we had left behind: standing poised on the surface of the water astride six powerful limbs, the newly born Araquanid radiated confidence and nobility. The power of the ocean was reflected in his piercing eyes, staring back at Wishiwashi from behind his helmet with unwavering determination. He thrust a spear-like limb in the Totem Pokemon's direction. "Your battle is with me, devil fish! No longer will you threaten innocent lives!"

In spite of his size, BugLightyear moved with the grace of a seasoned _Prima_ \- leaping directly _on top_ of the Totem Pokemon and striking it with Infection. Now the Wishiwashi was losing health faster than ever! Seeing it's master in distress, Alomomola attempted to assist with Double Slap, but it succeeded in being little more than a minor nuisance. Then, it's special ability kicked in.

"What was THAT?!"

"Healer!" Rotom shouted to me. "It cured Wishiwashi of poisoning!"

"Hurry! Take out Alomomola before it can use Heal Pulse again!"

BugLightyear dispatched the treacherous sunfish with a single Bug Bite, even as his greater foe bore down on him with another Water Gun! Without the poison to afflict it, the tyrant Totem seemed bolder than ever, but that was a dangerous mistake to make against the likes of BugLightyear! My Araquanid responded with an aquatic attack of his own! A searing jet of water pushed back against the Wishiwashi's onslaught, evaporating the once-dreaded Water Gun into little more than a steam bath!

"What the-"

"That was Scald." Selene explained, as she and Lillie paddled up alongside us with her Lapras. "I hope you don't mind, but we found a TM55 on the way here."

I could only smile in gratitude.

The monster writhed under its foe's boiling onslaught, and thoroughly cooked individual fish began to fall away: the Wishiwashi had been Burned! Now, with its healer Pokemon gone, the combination of Infestation and its new status affliction began to take their toll, psychologically crippling the once-indomitable bully. Wishiwashi's attacks began to get slippy-sloppy, while BugLightyear continued to power on through with his Bug Bites! Backing away, the wounded beast beckoned more minions to fight in its place! Another Wishiwashi answered the call, but one look at its 'master' and the lesser Pokemon knew better than to join an obviously sinking ship. BugLightyear's attacks sent it scattering in retreat and, following its example, the rest of the school followed suit!

At long last, we had reached the climax of this battle; the last leg of our revolution! The Totem Pokemon's health had finally fallen to critical levels, prompting its subordinate Wishiwashi to cut their losses and flee. As the school dissipated into a frenzy of fleeing small fry, it left behind a single sardine, teary-eyed and weak. This was the true form of Wishiwashi, in all of it's pathetic misery.

BugLightyear towered over the frail creature. "Your reign has come to an end. Give up now, and I can promise you fair treatment." I had almost expected the tiny tyrant to start whimpering - to beg forgiveness and to plead for mercy. The wretched fish did no such thing.

"Filthy BUG!" Wishiwashi shrieked!

His unrepentant attitude made it easy for us. "BugLightyear, Scald!"

As the burning stream of water carried it away, Wishiwashi wailed one final time; it was a cry of anguish as much as rage, and one totally devoid of its original ferocity. In the end, the tyrant stood, and fell, alone.

No sooner had the Totem Pokemon sank beneath the waves, the sun came out of hiding, and with it, the multitudes of now-liberated Pokemon. A massive cheer rose up throughout Waikani Falls! Water types of all kinds were present, but chiefly among them were Dewpiders, who rushed out across the water in our direction, to embrace their home grown savior, no doubt. Except that wasn't what they were after, at all! The Dewpider horde ended up running right past us, and began ravenously devouring the Wishiwashi that were either dead, or too weak to have fled.

"Ugh. That's just brutal."

"Well, are are spiders, after all." BugLightyear said sheepishly. He accompanied the rest of us back to shore, where Applejack and the Trial Captain were waiting, along with someone else.

"You saved us all; I knew you would." a particularly wounded, but relieved Dewpider said.

I think I was more relieved than anyone to learn that BugLightyear didn't have to end up killing a loved one.

"It never would have been possible without your bravery, and I am sorry for your injuries." The two of them shared a peaceful moment silence, watching their kin tear apart the remaining scraps of Wishiwashi. "Hm...you may want to recover your health before you rejoin the colony."

"Please, allow me to help him regain his strength." Lana offered. "It's the least I can do, after failing you, and all of the Pokemon here."

Never before had a gentle smile graced such a fearsome, arachnid face. "You were as much a victim of the Wishiwashi as the rest of us. May you also rest easy, knowing that this place is under your command once more."

"That's right!" Selene added. She hastily presented Lana with her pokeball. "Please use this Wishiwashi I trained to become this area's new Totem Pokemon."

Lana took it graciously. "I have gifts for both you and Charlee, as well. Trainers have defeated the Totem Wishiwashi in battle before you, but they were never able to truly depose it, and their leader would always return. For ending this threat once and for all, I would like to reward both of you with the Waterium Z Crystals!"

"Thank you so much. These are wonderful!" Selene exclaimed. I could only silently agree. BugLightyear would be even more awesome with a Z-move!

"And that's not all I can offer you. Here. This is a Lana original. One of my own handmade fishing rods. Selene was once again ecstatic. Considering that prefered to swim and splash in bodies of water, I silently wondered how often I would actually end up using it. "By the way... did you know I once reeled in a red Gyarados?"

That caught my attention! "You did?!"

"Did you really?" Selene was more skeptical.

Lana smirked. "Well, what do you think?"

"Oh yeah? Well I just caught a blue Psyduck!" I declared back.

"You did?!"

"Well, what do you think?" At that point, I was happy to leave on a high note, having one-upped the Trial Captain. "Let's go, guys!"

"Well, I'd say that was a _reel_ hootenanny of an Island Trial!" Applejack laughed.

Rotom snickered. "And I thought _Charlee'z_ jokes were bad."

"I'm happy we made a new friend." Izzy said cheerfully.

BugLightyear smiled. "For what it is worth, I am thankful for the chance to save Waikani Falls, and join all of you on your adventure."

Aleng flapped away the last of the water on his wings. "I'm just glad we went a whole day without Charlee obsessing over-"

"Hey Charlee!" Lana shouted from behind us; "I just got off the phone with Mallow! She says congratulations, and she can't wait to see you again, so hurry up and finish the other Trial!"

 _Mallow?!_ "MALLOW! Let's go guys, double-time!"

"Are you kidding me?!" Aleng cried.

"Wait, where are you going?!" Selene shouted as we ran off.

I was going to answer with the Fire Trial, but paused when I noticed the look of desperate longing on our newest teammate's face. "Fine, say it. You earned it."

BugLightyear beamed. "To Infinity...AND BEYOND!"

 **Author's Notes:** No lie: the Wishiwashi trial really had me worried, but I was super stoked and surprised to end up with BugLightyear on my team, especially since Araquanid received zero exposure prior to the game's release. I definitely had a lot of fun playing with BugLightyear and writing his story. And yes, I did actually catch a shiny blue Psyduck just prior to the trial -_^.


	10. The Dance-battle Deception

The Team So Far:

 **Charlee-** Charlee is a trainer with poor impulse control, who interprets attempts to discipline or rein him in, as challenges to be overcome. Despite these flaws, he is also kind-hearted and fiercely loyal. While his knowledge base is still growing, Charlee exhibits a talent for Pokemon battle.

Species: Human(male)

Nature: Naughty

 **Aleng-** Charlee's 'starter'. Aleng acts as the level head to keep his human partner in check, although some of Charlee's more fiery personality has rubbed off on him. Aleng has a mild, type-based racist streak, but he means well and still cares for everyone. Just some, more than others.

Species: Trumbeak(male)

Nature: Rash

 **Izzy-** Izzy is a rescue from an abusive trainer. While her body may literally be toxic, Izzy's personality is anything but, and the innocence and boundless optimism endears her to even the harshest cynic. Izzy isn't particularly bright, but her way of life allows her to notice details that others may overlook.

Species: Alolan Grimer(female)

Nature: Timid

 **Applejack-** The most experienced member of the team, Applejack brings wisdom and common sense to a group in desperate need of it. She recognizes the importance of patience when dealing with others, but at the same time, Applejack isn't shy about making her opinions known.

Species: Mudbray(female)

Nature: Sassy

 **BugLightyear-** Possessing a unique typing, and as the first Pokemon to fully evolve, BugLightyear is an incredible powerhouse, but he also recognizes the need for strategy and reconnaissance. Despite being the newest addition, BugLightyear shares Charlee's strong sense of compassion and justice...as well as his trainer's habit of rushing headlong into danger.

Species: Araquanid(male)

Nature: Naive

At the Nursery, because I didn't know how it worked, OK?

 **Jermaine** (male)

Species: Crabrawler

Nature: Quirky

 **Hanzo** (male)

Species: Grubbin

Nature: Brave

Deceased:

 **Pona-** Pona was Charlee's family pet as a child. Having known Charlee almost as long Aleng, Pona was somewhat possessive of her trainer. She was inquisitive, playful, and determined to earn her place on the team.

Species Rockruff(female)

Nature: Rash

 _ **The Rival**_ **: A Pokemon Mahina(Moon)** _ **Nuzlocke**_

 **Chapter 10: The Dance-Battle Deception!**

"Remind me, why are we here again?" Aleng asked.

I sighed at my partner. "You really don't remember?"

[Flashback]

 _"The name's Kiavve, the Fire captain. You can get to Wela Volcano Park from_ _Route 7_ _. I'll be waiting on the peak. If you plan to see your island challenge through to the end, climb to the top with your strongest team!"_

[/Flashback]

Aside, I heard Applejack talking to BugLightyear. "Didn't it seem kinda strange, the way a Captain just showed up, invited us, and then left?"

"Yes, he sounded almost as if he had rehearsed it, and blandly at that."

I rolled my eyes. "Guys, every Trial we've had so far has been a trick or a trap. I'd be worried if this one _wasn't_ some kind of scam!"

"That wasn't what I meant." Aleng continued. "What I want to know is _why_ are we rushing up here, right _now_?" At the moment, 'here and now' was the slope of the largest volcano on Akala Island, just a little past sunset. Stars twinkled through the veil of ashen clouds that rose from thermal vents, and the dark blue of the night sky was met by the fiery glow of the lava pools, dyeing it a supernatural shade of violet. "We could've spent the night in a cozy Pokemon Center and come up in the morning!"

"We're here now, because...wait, why _are_ we in such a hurry?" The entire volcano seemed to shake from everyone collectively face-planting. I tried to recall what happened earlier today. "Let' see...we had just beaten the Totem Wishiwashi, and Lana then had said... something…right?"

"Seriously?" Applejack snorted. "Weren't you here because you're excited to see a certain somebody right away?"

"Oh yeah! We're going to meet Kiavve at the top! And kick his butt!"

"Yeah!" Everyone cheered. Everyone, except Applejack. She just glared at me. What was she giving me stink-eye for? It's not like I said something wrong! I glared right back her.

Aleng moved between us to deftly defuse the tension. "I don't know about you guys, but I am _drained_ from fighting Wishiwashi today. Why don't we make camp and rest for the night?"

It was a request that all of us could agree on. Who knew overthrowing a tyrannical regime was so exhausting? For a sleeping spot, we ended up near a placid lava pool for some much needed warmth. Applejack used her Bulldoze to push up a few barriers to keep us from rolling into the molten rock while we slept. You wouldn't think a volcano would be chilly, but between the altitude and the orographic clouds that were naturally drawn to these high peaks, we were even more soaked and frozen than during the Water Trial! The worse feeling of all was the non-stop trickle of boogers coming out of my left nostril. Let me once again emphasize that all of this was happening On. A. Volcano. In light of the climate, the name "Haleakala" was _way_ more fitting than calling this place "Wela". Haleakala...who was it that shared that name with us, again?

* * *

 _"Charlee…"_ She said my name with familiarity and affection. It was a voice I recognized, but who? _"Just one more trial. Wait for me."_ I could just see her in the distance: her beautiful green hair, her gorgeous smooth skin; everything except her face. _"Wait for me, Charlee…"_ I reached for her.

 _"Why wait?"_ another entity asked. This one, unfamiliar. A purple haze further obscured the person that I sought. _"Why wait for them, when I am here now?"_ the fog became smothering; the strange gasses assailed me, and yet, the pressure on my chest seemed to become more tolerable, even enjoyable, with each passing second. The silky feeling left goosebumps on my skin, even as the vapors tried to pry their way past my lips, into my mouth. _"Let me in."_ I was tempted to do just that, but raw instinct urged me to resist desire and I held my breath as the mist assaulted my nostrils. The scent was sharp and bitter, but with an unnatural sweetness that was hard to place. An unfamiliar warmth overtook me. " _Choose me."_ the new voice was forceful and alluring all at once. _"Give in."_

Unable to hold my breath any longer, I gasped and the vapors invaded in an instant! An alien sensation flooded my entire body; seizing me from the inside!

I bolted upright in shock! My heart was ricocheting in my chest and I was totally drenched! It took me a moment to realize that I wasn't sweating from the lava; there was a fire that was burning through my insides. As in my dream, this sensation came with a feeling of near unbearable pressure, as if I was ready to burst. I needed to pee!

No one stirred as I picked my way beyond the camp, nor did anyone awake from the faint hiss of steam that appeared when I peed into the lava. To my frustration, the strange feelings that afflicted me were not purged along with the contents of my bladder. Still haunted by the confusing and vivid dream, I lightly sniffed the air for any hint of that sharp and sweet haze. Was it all just my imagination? I sniffed again. Just the faint wisps of sulfur and my team's collective BO. If there was any trace of the phantom smell, the cool breeze had carried it away. I allowed myself to breath deeply and that seemed to help. After several moments, my body was cooling down and I started to feel normal again. Well, normal for me, anyway.

"Trouble sleeping?" Applejack snuck up behind me!

"Ah! I didn't mean to wake you up!"

"I lived on a farm; early risin' comes with the territory." She nonchalantly trotted over to the pool of lava and gave it a half-hearted sniff. "You were moaning like an overloaded Miltank before you got up. You need to pee that bad, or was it something else?"

"Nothing...just bad dreams."

"Uh-huh." She didn't sound convinced, but then again, she didn't sound all that interested either, and started walking off.

I should've just let her go, but the look she gave me yesterday continued to nag at my nerves. "Hey Applejack, wait. Are we cool? You seemed kind of...upset when we were talking last."

She continued without even breaking stride. "Don't worry. I'm not the kind to stay angry. You should try letting it go some time."

"Yeah...hey! So um, _why_ were you angry?"

That question gave her pause. "You honestly don't know?"

"Was it something I said?"

"In a way, it's what you _didn't_ say." I continued to stare blankly and she sighed. "Look, from now on, just be more careful when you talk about other people, Charlee."

"What do you mean, 'when I talk about other people'?"

"I mean, if you really care about somebody, don't pretend that they aren't important. It doesn't matter if you were only kidding, that kind of attitude can really hurt a person's feelings."

 _What is she going on about?_

Oblivious to my thoughts, Applejack continued her lecture. "You can bet your Z-Ring that Mallow wouldn't be acting like that if she were in your shoes. You may be my trainer now, but she was my first partner, and I'm not gonna let you treat her that way."

 _Mallow?_ I froze. Memories emerged like sprouts from a charred earth. Her voice sweeter than honey; her face more lovely than a field of wildflowers; her heart bigger than a banyan tree! Ever since we began climbing the volcano, I had literally forgotten that Mallow had even existed! _How is this even possible?_ My mind careened into a downward spiral driven by shock and disbelief.

"Charlee, you alright?"

I breathed as deep as I could to calm myself. _I remember her now_ ; I told myself, _that's the important thing_. Applejack had been upset when she thought I was belittling her former trainer; I could only imagine how mad the Mudbray would be if she knew I had forgotten Mallow completely! I had to choose my words carefully. "You're right, Applejack. I'm sorry for what I did, and I'll never forget how much Mallow means to me."

"To both of us."

I nodded. "To both of us."

* * *

"Listen up team!" Morning found us in front of our first patch of tall grass. Parched a pale yellow, the vegetation nonetheless rustled with the signs of life concealed within. "Since Applejack couldn't fight in the last trial, I want her in the lead for the rest of our time on Haleakala." Secretly, I also wanted her at the forefront of my mind, as my best reminder of Mallow. I didn't know what was happening on this volcano, but I didn't want to take any more chances. "So, unless anyone has any objections, let's catch us some Pokemon!"

You know that awesome feeling you get at the start of the day, when the sun is bright and you're ready for anything? Those are the days when life really decides to throw you a curve ball.

We had barely managed several steps into the tall grass when a Salandit emerged, but this one was a little different from the kind I was used to seeing around Alola. Rather than the sleek, dark raiders that everyone was accustomed to, this one was, for a lack of better words, pudgier. His middle bulged like a dark gray beach ball and the wrinkles lining his eyes betrayed the creature's advanced age. Against a Fire/Poison type like this, any one of Applejack's attacks would have been overkill, and I wanted to take this one alive if I could, so I just went and tossed a pokeball at it straight away. Against all odds and personal expectations, that one toss did the trick; easiest catch ever! The trouble only began after we reopened Salandit's pokeball to welcome him to the team.

The slippery salamander slipped past my partner and went straight for Izzy! This Salandit was certainly no slouch for speed! Panic seized me for just a second; but as it turned out, the Salandit had a different kind of assault in mind. A worse kind.

"What a haul! What a haul! Aren't you a toxic little sweety!" it chittered. The amorous amphibian wasted no time in getting his paws all over Izzy, to the point where bits of her were oozing between his fingers.

"What. The. Hell?" was all I could say.

"Salandit, The Toxic Lizard Pokemon." Rotom offered. "Thiz one appears to be er-hem, 'interested' in your Grimer."  
From the look on Izzy's face however, she was not enjoying the attention. "Charlee, I really don't like how he's touching me! Make him stop!"

"Oh come on you cutie, how about just once nice embrace for old Happosai?"

"You heard her, cut it out!" I swatted at the little perv, forcing it to release Izzy and dodge my attacks. BugLightyear jumped into the fray to assist me, but he was no more successful at pinning the agile annoyance.

The Salandit called Happosai effortlessly ran circles around us before making a b-line towards Izzy once again. Fortunately, she had taken to sheltering behind Aleng, and a warning jab from the Trumbeak was enough to deter Izzy's would-be assailant.

"How rude!" Happosai declared. "If you're not going to show me the respect I deserve, I'll find someone else who will appreciate me!" Suddenly, he was upon Applejack! "Hello my darling! Don't you just have the tightest little plot I ever did see!" The Salandit gave her rump a squeeze: big mistake.

"That's ENOUGH!" the Mudbray practically roared. Happosai's actions had put him almost directly in the line of fire for the two most powerful legs this side of the Haleakala crater. Her flank tightened for a brief second, revealing just how much muscle Applejack was packing.

[Applejack used High Horsepower!]

Never mind the type advantage: the sheer power behind the bucking blow was enough to send the Salandit rocketing skywards, until he was little more than a twinkle in the clouds!

"Well, that was a pointlessly irrelevant distraction." BugLightyear noted. "Let's never speak of this again."

Everyone agreed.

"Miserable lowlife." Applejack grumbled.

"I take it you still feel kinda raw?" I asked.

The Mudbray snorted.

"Hey, if you're still up for it, I know one good way to blow off some steam…"

* * *

Applejack and I proceeded to beat the tar out of every wild Pokemon we came across. Cubone, Fletchlings, Salandit; it didn't matter! All of them fell before the might of my Mudbray! Each fight was essentially a One-hit KO in our favor! The endless EXP was nice, but if we're going to be honest, it just felt good to unleash some stress. We were so caught up in the heat of battle that Applejack and I nearly ran past a free item.

"Hey Charlee, you missed something!" Aleng called.

Izzy squealed in delight. "Ooh! What is it? What is it?"

I examined the shimmering circular disk in my hand. "It's a Technical Machine; Rock Tomb." Immediately, my eyes shifted towards Applejack. "How about it? This would definitely give you a leg up on Flying types."

"EXCUSE ME?" Aleng protested. His feathers stood on end.

His anger was genuine, but I couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Relax, it's not like you and I'll be comin' to blows." Applejack said. " _Right?_ "

Aleng crossed his wings in bitter resignation. "You better hope not."

With each step closer to the top, the fire inside me rose, and the sweet smell of victory grew that much stronger! I breathed deep...and immediately started coughing as my lungs seized!

"Careful. The air gets thin the higher up we get." Aleng cautioned.  
"Now you tell me. Thanks."

"It izn't just a lack of oxygen." Rotomdex chimed in. "My sensors are detecting unusually high concentrations of an unknown gas.

"It wasn't me!" I shouted on reflex. "Rotom, why didn't you tell us this sooner?"

"As far as I can tell, it iz not dangerous, but it doez seem to be increasing the higher up we go."

"In that case, I say we press on."

* * *

It was almost sunset by the time we reached the top, with the twilight sky a perfect reflection of the glowing orange lava that bubbled in the various craters. At the summit, a lone figure waited along with his Alolan Marowak. He had a well-muscled dancer's physique, wrapped in skin that was darkened as much by the lava as by the sun. Tribal tattoos flanked his shoulders. Shirtless, his only clothing were his Captain's medallion, a pair of ember-colored shorts, and matching sandals. His chocolate and cinnamon hair were jelled up to resemble flames.

"I am Kiavve. My-"

"Hold up!" I said. "We already know who you are. Let's get straight to the action!"

"My trial will test your powers of observation! There will be a dance...and then another. Your task will be to find the difference between the two. Begin!"

"Seriously? What kind of lame trial is this?"

Even _I_ thought I sounded rude and annoying, but the Captain's face remained blank; he hardly showed any expression at all. "What are you proposing?"

"Well, if you and your Pokemon like dancing so much, let's make it a dance-battle!"

Kiavve peered into the caldera of the volcano, as if seeking guidance. All we could hear was the hiss of the smoke and the gurgle of molten rock, but apparently, the Trial Captain received his answer. Kiavve nodded to the lava and then turned back to face us. "Very well. We will each use one Pokemon. Commands must be given through the movement of our bodies, and the Pokemon must repeat those actions to use their attacks."

I grinned. "Applejack!"

"Charlee, what are you doing? I dunno the first thing about dancin'!"

"Relax. Mom and Dad stuck me in dance class since kindergarten. This'll be a synch!"

"And what kind of dance was it, exactly?"

"...That's not important."

"I disagree! You're askin' me to be your partner in a dance battle!"

"Charlee was dancing ballet!" Aleng laughed. I shot him a look.

Applejack stared, dumbfounded. "I honestly don't know if this helps or hurts our chances. Fine. It's not like we got somethin' better." Whether she was supportive or merely resigned to the idea of the defeat, I couldn't tell, but I smiled nonetheless. In a way, it would almost be like I was dancing with Mallow.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAA. " Kiavve started screaming. He and Marowak struck a splayed leg riding stance. "Ai, Ai, Ai! Ho'opuka e-ka-la ma ka hikina e." Stomping the ground, their arms made repetitive thrust-grabbing motions before thumping their shoulders and chests, then the entire gesture was repeated again.

"Uh, what are they doin'?"

"It's a Haʻa." I answered. "Some people do it as a pre-battle dance to psyche themselves up.

"Then now do we know when the battle dance ends and the dance battle starts?"

Kiavve suddenly twirled his arm over head and translated it into a throwing motion. Marowak followed in kind with its bone torch! "IKAIKA KEAHI POEPOE."

My ancient Alolan was at best, piss-poor, but with any luck, I could try to translate what he was saying. "Let's see, 'poepoe' meant round or circle, 'keahi' was fire...oh crap! "He's using Flame Wheel! Quick, Pas de Chat!" I leapt nimbly to the side for a dodge, but Applejack just stood there!

"Pader-what?" The Flame Wheel struck her head on! "Argh!" Applejack staggered back, but she didn't fall. Already, I could see her strength growing and an unmistakable fortitude radiated in her body language.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, but I told you, I'm no lippizanner!"

"You don't know how to dance, but you know a fancy word like that?"

"It's a horse thing. Just keep the moves simple!"

Horse thing...that gave me an idea. "Rotom!"

"Yes?!"

"We need a beat. You ever seen 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'?" The living pokedex grinned and began playing the full version of 'Dance like you Want to Win'. As the light-hearted piano and strings kicked in, I turned back to Applejack. "Follow my lead!" We rushed towards our opponents using Chassé-or chasing. It was essentially a galloping motion that Applejack could easily emulate, and the distance between us and Kiavve began to close!

I fully hoped that Kiavve would continue his attacks, and feed Applejack's Stamina ability, but the Trial Captain was not so quick to oblige.

"Huli." he shouted as we neared! Kiavve and Marowak both spun in a circle, turning it into a Tail Whip to bring our defenses back down. Fine, let them; it was time for us to take the offensive!

"Quick! Pas de Cheval!" I demonstrated the 'step of the horse' and the Mudbray was quick to pick up on it and turn it into a Stomp attack...that had no effect!  
"Alolan Marowaks are part Ghost! Normal moves won't work!" Rotom shouted. Crap! We had given them an opening!

"Huli. Iwi." Another turn, another Tail Whip. Then, Kiavve pumped his fist, while using his other hand to slap his bicep.

Marowak's ensuing Bone Club struck Applejack in the face, knocking her off her feet!

"Cheap-shotting little-"

"Applejack, hurry!" We did a split-leap-a Jeté, and narrowly dodged Marowak's next Bone Club.

"Keahi Poepoe." Kiavve went through the motions for Flame Wheel again!

"We gotta snuff out that fire, Charlee!"

"I know! Let's try this!" I kicked forward with a hard, sweeping motion. It was a motion known as Dégagé, but I repurposed it to strike the ground with my foot as it swept, throwing up a mess of dirt. Applejack promptly got the message and slammed her hooves into the ground to generate a Bulldoze attack! A small wave of dirt smashed itself the spinning bone torch, snuffing the attack and showering Marowak with debris! Kiavve's Pokemon lept back, but before it could mount a counter-attack, I repeated the Dégagé with my other foot, and Applejack burried him with another Bulldoze!

"Marowak, rise." Kiavve was starting to lose his concentration, but still, the Marowak erupted from the ground, ready for more! Well, if that's what he really wanted...

"Come on!" another Grand Jeté leap took us over Marowak's head! It turned to meet us with a huli, which was exactly what we wanted! I raised one knee, keeping it high and bent in Passé, before thrusting it out hard behind me as an Arabesque kick! Applejack nodded and tightened her haunches. The muscles bunched together, like a spring being compressed into a chamber. Then, as if someone pulled the trigger on a gun: both her legs fired forward and unleashed all of that energy through two powerful hooves! High Horsepower!

It was Marowak's turn to take an attack to the face, and he had neither the health nor the defensive strength that Applejack possessed! The blow sent him flying across the battlefield! Stunned and battered, Marowak staggered to his feet once more, before promptly collapsing in defeat.

I panted; then I turned to Applejack. "Great job, you were amazing!"

"Thanks, you too! Let's never do that again!"

"Haha, you said it!"

"Oh, you two were so beautiful!" Izzy gushed, her eyes wide with awe; "I wish I could dance like that!"

Aleng gave me a playful slap with his wings. "You were moving with a lot more heart then those times I watched you practice in class. What made the difference?"

I grinned. He would have a fit if he knew I was driven by the thought of...the thought of... _oh no!_ _It's happening again!_ I strained my brain, hoarding every last mental image and memory of Mallow! _Can't forget, can't forget, can't-_

"Congratulations Charlee." Kiavve broke my train of thought. "I never expected to battle someone else who had such a passion for dance. The test is over. You and your Pokemon have proven yourselves worthy."

"For the Fire-type Z Crystal, right?"

"No, to serve our goddess in eternal bliss."

"Aweso-wait, what?"

Something emerged from the caldera! A statuesque figure pulled herself slowly from the inferno, like a super-model out of a pool. As the lithe creature sauntered towards me, viscous, glowing lava cascaded almost hypnotically off her exposed form. The Pokemon's dark skin stretched taut, without a wrinkle in sight, and bright magenta streaks on her underside accentuated the curves of her body. I couldn't stop staring; none of us could. Suddenly, the heat wasn't just coming from the volcano.

"Behold. The Fire Totem Pokemon, and future Queen of all Akala Island." Kiavve practically prostrated himself with the pronouncement. He looked so stupid, and yet, something inside wanted to follow his example: showing respect, showing _devotion_ , was the right thing to do. I resisted the urge out of personal pride.

"You can call me, Salazzle." her voice was deep and husky; more so than it had any right to be, and I felt myself drawn to her more with each syllable. Salazzle's hips swayed like palm trees with each sashaying step she took towards us. Bending down near Kiavve, she placed her slim, delicate fingers on his bare shoulders, and whispered unbearably close to his ear, "You may rise, Trial Captain." He did as he was told with a vacant stare in his eyes. Salazzle's cultured laugh echoed over all of Haleakala. "O-hohohoho! Such an _strong_ , obedient young man!" With one finger, she began tracing the lines of Kiavve's well-defined biceps. I imagined her wet, silken touch on my own arm, and my heart began to race. As if reading my thoughts, she turned her sultry eyes towards me. "Once again, thanks to you, I'll have another trainer to tend to my _every_ need."

 _Yes…yes I-NO!_ I shook my head vigorously, trying to clear the haze. The haze! The strange fog from my dream! It was _her_!

"Charlee! The gasses I've been detecting, they're coming from Salazzzle!"

"Yeah, Rotom, we kinda figured that out!" I snapped.

"What-what's going on with Aleng?!" Izzy shouted. I looked at my partner; the Trumbeak had the same blank expression on his face as Kiavve, and neither one were taking their eyes off of Salazzle. Jeeze, was that how I looked a second ago?

"She's using some kind of pheromone! It must only affect the boys!" Applejack shouted.

Salazzle giggled. It was surprisingly cute and endearing. "A girl has to use what she's got to get ahead. And I guess now, that also includes you!"

"Think again, you creep!" I slapped myself in the face to stay alert. "Ow!" That hurt more than I expected it to. Well, whatever worked.

"Ooooh." Suddenly she was right behind! How did something so big move so fast?! "I _love_ it when they try to resist." she cooed. Her touch sent a shock running through me and I went stiff as a board; my body becoming completely paralyzed! I couldn't move even if I wanted to, but then again, why would want to leave her embrace?

A blast of cold water suddenly and splashed at both of us! Although it only seemed to strike me. Salazzle lept back with a violent hiss, leaving me to get drenched in the face! Considering the alternative, the water was a welcome refresher.

"Get away from my trainer, foul temptress!" BugLightyear!

"You aren't hypnotized?" I sputtered. The titanic arachnid casually tapped the helmet bubble that shielded his face to answer my question.

Well, that was one less team mate I had to worry about. "Aleng, return!"

To my utter disbelief, the Trumbeak dodged the beam of his pokeball. "I serve only the goddess, Salazzle now…"

"Oh for crying out loud! Izzy, you and Applejack get Aleng out of here! BugLightyear, let's you and I hose this hussy down! Watergun!" BugLightyear took aim, but another flaming Pokemon came out of nowhere and slammed into him!

"That was a Feint Attack!" Rotom shouted! The Pokemon that used it resembled some kind of fiery Donald Duck with the face of someone who's taken too many blows to the head! Stupid expression aside, the Magmar had the same blank look as the others, as well as the trainer beside it: a blond-haired man with perma-stubble in a green tank-top and beanie.

Salazzle laughed again. "Don't assume my loyal subjects will just let you harm their Queen. Come, my fine Hiker!"

"Yes, my lady. Magmar. Smokescreen." Oh great. As if I wasn't breathing in enough weird stuff already.

Unable to find a target, BugLightyear began spamming his Watergun in every direction, hoping for a hit! "Your minion can't conceal himself forever!"

"He won't have to. David and Magmar need only keep you busy long enough for your trainer to fall under my thrall!"

No matter where I went, I couldn't avoid the acrid-yet sweet scent emanating from Salazzle's flawless skin. Already I could feel the purple haze in my head getting thicker than the smoke around us. My entire body felt like it was in a pressure cooker! I slapped myself again to knock out the effects, but the pain was less potent this time. The touch of my hand felt almost numb; certainly nothing like the touch of Salazzle.

 _Don't think about her!_ _Think about your Pokemon._ I focused harder than I ever had in my life! A pair of powerful arms suddenly seized me and broke my concentration. The Hiker!

"Very good David. Now, bring him to me, while your Magmar mops up his Araquanid."

"It shall be done."

"The hell it shall!" No one lays a hand on me! Especially not some sweaty, love-zombie! My anger boiled over like magma from the earth's crust! Indignant rage overrode the effect of Salazzle's toxins, at least for the moment. I put that moment to good use by slamming my skull into Hiker David's face!

"Gargh!" He dropped me immediately to nurse his broken nose. Once free, I gave him a good kick in the stomach for good measure and the Hiker crumpled to his knees, gasping for breath.

Then I kicked him a few more times for good measure! *Kick! Kick! Kick!*

Simultaneously, BugLightyear finally found his mark, and with a gurgling cry, Magmar fell in a torrent of water and steam! "Now it's your turn, Totem!"

"Don't think you can touch me so easily!" she retorted! At her call, a Salandit emerged from the lip of the crater and engaged BugLightyear.

At the same time, I found myself tackled by yet another mind-controlled servant! "Kiavve!" I wrestled against his grip, but the Trial Captain had me almost pinned to the ground.

"Do not resist the goddesses' love."

"Don't tell me what to do, you love-sick ninny!" I tried to headbutt him, but he kept me at arm's length. Kicking him wasn't effective either! I gasped for air. At this point, I didn't care what I was breathing in; I just needed oxygen in my lungs. I was out of options; there was only one thing left that I could do: I snorted deep to collect all the gullah-gullah (snot) in the back of my throat. Then, I spit. In his eye.

[Charlee used Sludge!]

"Agh! Gross!" As Kiavve tried to wipe the mucus from his cornea, I charged in and body-slammed him to the floor!

When he tried to get up, I stomped my foot down on his chest. "Stay down, or I'll dance on your grave!"

A slow, soft clapping filled the air. Salazzle. High on adrenaline, my heart was racing a mile a minute. When she spoke, it somehow went even faster. "I can see why you were able to defeat the Captain in your Pokemon dance-battle. Sooo impressive."

"Darn right I am!" I panted. Hey, a compliment's a compliment.

"That is precisely the sort of strength that I'm looking for." Salazzle drew closer, her body gliding over the ground like a lava flow made flesh. Her exotic body literally glowing with totem energy and radiance. The heat coming off of her was like nothing I had felt before; intense and yet, inviting. "I need that power to help me spread my control over this entire island. Charlee, I _need_ you."

This was without a doubt, the most uncomfortable feeling ever, and yet, I couldn't pull myself away. By nature, I was compelled to help anyone in need, and if I was the only one that could help Salazzle then- _NO!_ But my body was already betraying me. It remembered that sudden pleasure the instant she had laid a hand on me. After a taste of that, I craved the whole thing! I yearned for the Totem's moist touch and that desire moved me closer to her; a moth to the flame. With each step, the air around her smelled sweeter; felt warmer. It was a warmth that I had never felt before: so alien, and yet, so inviting.

"Fight it Charlee!" BugLightyear shouted in desperation! "Think about Ma-" he was suddenly blind-sided by another Salandit minion!

"Give in. You'll have all the love, all the _attention_ you desire. Be mine...forever." Her seductive voice had purged all remaining thoughts from my mind. I could see it now: the Totem Pokemon and I, together forever, intertwined in eternal bliss. I yearned for that toxic embrace.

A small tsunami of dirt hit me in the face and suddenly, I was tumbling, half-buried with my world dark and upside down! A Bulldoze attack! I came up spitting soil and suddenly, my only emotion was all-consuming anger!

"Applejack! What the hell are you doing?!"

"Snapping you out of it!"

How dare she get in my way of-wait, what _was_ I doing, again?

"Get away from him!" Salazzle shrieked, but BugLightyear pounced on her from behind!

Simultaneously, Applejack pinned me with her hooves; her face just inches from mine. "Look at me, Charlee. Look at me! Why am I on your team?"

"What kind of stupid question-"

"Why. Am. _I_. On your team?"

"Because I...caught you?" No, that wasn't it. We, we had met somehow. She was a gift from someone...

" _Charlee, can you please take Applejack with you on your journey?"_ That voice...the first voice from my dreams. I remembered: watching the sunrise over this very mountain- Haleakala was her name for it. Applejack was there too, on the grassy hill at Paniola Ranch; I was with her and…

"Mallow." The fog cleared and her face was suddenly all I could see. Smiling, concerned, sympathetic, laughing- embodying everything that made life worth living. I don't know what kind of expression I had on, but Applejack seemed satisfied and let me up. "So um, weren't you supposed to watch Aleng?"

"Relax, Izzy's got it covered."

* * *

Like a zombie, the Trumbeak burst from the pile of rocks he had been buried under. "Salazzle! My heart is yours!"

"Nope." Izzy bopped Aleng on the head and he fell unconscious again.

* * *

A cry cut through the air, and we both turned to see BugLightyear fall on his back, legs flailing and badly poisoned. The battle with Magmar, then Salandit, and now finally Salazzle, had taken their toll. She loomed over him and smirked. "Either I control you directly, or I'll have your trainer. Either way, you _will_ serve me."

"Even if you had Charlee's mind, you will never control his heart!"

"I can live with that."

I threw a rock at her. "When we're through with you, you'll be lucky if you can live at all!"

Salazzle laughed her annoying, haughty laugh again. "Do you really think you can resist me with the power of love?"

It was true, I didn't know how long I could last just by having Mallow in my thoughts...but fortunately, memories weren't the only thing she had given me. "More like the power of kicking your butt! Applejack, Bulldoze!" I returned BugLightyear to his pokeball as the Mudbray shook the entire crater with her attack!

The sinister Salazzle leaped nimbly over the the assault. Then, our opponent retaliated with Torment, impeding Applejack's ability to use the same attack twice!

My partner whinnied in frustration. "She's so fast, she's dodging as soon as you give a command! How can we even land a hit if she knows what's comin'?"

The exact same thought was going through my head. We were running on borrowed time! _How can we conceal our moves from Salazzle?_

The pounding in my heart was suddenly matched by the rapid beat of music emanating from Rotom: _"Är förlorad och förförd, Jag är skakad och berörd, Hjärtat slår så hårt, Låta bli dig blir för svårt..."_ I didn't know the language, but I recognized the song: Håll Om Mig (Hold Me); and I knew its significance.

"Applejack, up for one more dance?"

She grinned as the music reached a crescendo. Together, we struck a defiant pose in open Fourth Position as Salazzle rushed us with a Flame Burst! Even as the fiery sphere exploded, the two of us leaped back with a Brisé jump! The heat was intense, but nowhere near as intense as our focus! We powered through the searing sensation and upon landing, I threw my straightened leg as high as it would allow for a Grand Battement! Applejack was moving in almost perfect sync; it was a considerable departure from our previous fight when one followed the other's lead. When our legs to go no higher, we brought them slamming down hard enough to send up a shower of rocks! As we had hoped, the nature of our fighting style confounded Salazzle! She didn't realize we were using Rock Tomb until she was nearly buried in it! The Totem Pokemon tried to retaliate with Toxic, but it was too little, too late! Her mobility had been compromised and she was vulnerable. Our coup de grâce was a Grand Jeté leap that served to build up extra momentum for a final Dégagé-Bulldoze to completely overwhelm Salazzle. She fought and clawed for escape, even as the terra torrent overtook her, completely burying the Totem to finally ending this battle and her dreams of conquest! Then we threw a another Rock Tomb on her, just in case.

"Whew!" I shouted as Applejack reared up in victory! For the first time since this disaster started, I was able to breathe easy; literally! The surest sign that Salazzle had been beaten was that her pheromones were wearing off and the air was clearing. Even her other victims were starting to regain their senses.

"What the...what happened?" Aleng asked.

Izzy was immediately glomping him with joy. "Yay! They did it! You're ok again!"

Kiavve was the next to come to. I suppose I should've been a bit more sympathetic to a freshly-freed victim...then again, it _was_ his fault!

Applejack seemed to share my opinions. "Your she-demon Pokemon nearly mind-controlled our trainer: _that's_ what happened! What kinda Trial Captain are you?"

"I-I-I'm sorry! Once she evolved, nothing could satisfy her anymore! She just-"

"No excuses! You better stop prissy-pracin' around and step up your trainin', before we have a word with the Kahuna; that clear?"

Kiavve managed the weakest of all nods. "Please, accept my deepest apologies, and this Firium Z Crystal as sign of my gratitude." I took the dinky gem from his hand and stared at it.

Sensing an opportunity, Rotom jumped in. "We didn't go through all this just for a Zzz-Crystal! For what you put us through, we expect a lot more!"

"Please also take my Ride Pokemon!" Kiavve said hastily. "Charizard can take you almost anywhere you've visited in Aloha!"

"Now we're talking!" My very own Charizard! Bummer I couldn't use it in battle, but still! "Thanks Rotom."

"Don't mention it! It waz wonderful watching you two dance! You already have 2k likes on Youtube!"

"Yeah…" I turned towards said dance partner.

"Hey, Applejack? Mahalo."

"No problem. Between you and me, being your dancin' partner's not so bad."

I shook my head. "You helped me to remember Mallow, and how important she is to-" I caught myself at the last second; "to both of us. We never would have won without that."

"Oh, that. Shucks, it was as much for her as it was for you. So do us both a favor, and don't make her wait any longer, ok?"

That's right! We had completed all of the other trials! "Yeah, come on team! Time to see Mallow!" After everyone was tucked inside their pokeballs, I summoned my new Charizard for the first time and soared into the night sky! The wind whipped my face and I smiled at the thought of who was waiting for me! Somehow, I just knew that, waiting in the Lush Jungle, Mallow was smiling back.

* * *

It took every last ounce of strength for Salazzle to dig herself free from the earth that entombed her. Looking around, she realized that the summit of the volcano was quiet; deserted, save for her. The Fire/Poison type weakly pulled herself to the rim of the caldera and slid into the lava lake. The molten rock felt soothing to her battered body, like the healing waters of a hot spring.

"Even Kiavve's gone." she mumbled to herself, gazing at the sky. "Even if he came back, he'd be prepared to deal with my pheromones." It would no longer be easy to take advantage of him. How could she make others fall in love with her now? Salazzle barely registered the faint twinkle in the sky, but it rapidly grew into the shape of a fat, wrinkly old Salandit that slammed into her at terminal velocity!

Salazzle gasped for air as soon as she resurfaced from the lava! "What the-"

"Well hello there, beautiful!" Happosai immediately latched himself on to her chest. "How's about you and I share a soak?"

"Ugh, get off me you creep!" Salazzle shoved and pushed, but attempts at dislodging her abhorrent admirer were futile. That was when the Totem Pokemon remembered her special 'talents'. She barely had to concentrate as she flooded the crater with fresh pheromones. "Aren't you a sweet little cutie. Would you mind giving me some alone time to 'freshen up' before we cuddle?"

Happosai immediately froze. The miniature molester breathed deep, filling his lungs with Salazzle's toxic allure. Then, Happosai tightened his grip and if anything, he began to nuzzle her even harder. "Nope! Wow, you have such a nice smell. Did you put all of that perfume on just for me?"

Salazzle was stricken with absolute horror and dread! This little lech, whoever he was, could resist her charms with sheer unadulterated lust! In a frantic panic, Salazzle resumed her attempts to pry the poisonous parasite off, even as he continued to bury his head in her bosom.

"What a haul! What a haul!"

 **Author's Notes:** Hmm, maybe it would have been more merciful to just leave Salazzle dead and buried. The inclusion of Happosai the Salandit was not necessary to the story, but I did technically catch him, so he had to be featured somehow. Believe it or not, all of this was planned months ago when I was playing the game, before the whole, sexual-harassment debacle, that is now flooding the media. Changing the spelling on Kiawe's name was a deliberate choice to get people to pronounce it correctly in their heads. In Hawaiian, 'w's are pronounced with a 'v' sound, unless they're at the beginning of a word, so 'Kiawe' should be pronounced "Ki-ah-vey". As always, constructive comments and suggestions are appreciated to improve my writing. Mahalo!


	11. Trials of Love

The Team So Far:

 **Charlee**

Species: Human(male)

Nature: Naughty

Charlee is a trainer with poor impulse control, who interprets attempts to discipline or rein him in, as challenges to be overcome. While his knowledge base is still growing, Charlee exhibits a talent for Pokemon battle.

 **Aleng**

Species: Trumbeak(male)

Nature: Rash

Charlee's 'starter'. Aleng acts as the level head to keep his human partner in check, although some of Charlee's more fiery personality has rubbed off on him. Aleng has a mild, type-based racist streak, but he means well and still cares for everyone. Just some, more than others.

 **Izzy**

Species: Alolan Grimer(female)

Nature: Timid

Izzy is a rescue from an abusive trainer. While her body may literally be toxic, Izzy's personality is anything but, and the innocence and boundless optimism endears her to even the harshest cynic. Izzy isn't particularly bright, but her way of life allows her to notice details that others may overlook.

 **Applejack**

Species: Mudbray(female)

Nature: Sassy

The most experienced member of the team, and former partner of Mallow, Applejack brings wisdom and common sense to a group in desperate need of it. She understands the importance of patience when dealing with others, but at the same time, Applejack isn't shy about making her opinions known.

 **BugLightyear**

Species: Araquanid(male)

Nature: Naive

Possessing a unique typing, and as the first Pokemon to fully evolve, BugLightyear is an incredible powerhouse, but he also recognizes the need for strategy and reconnaissance. BugLightyear shares Charlee's strong sense of compassion and justice...as well as his trainer's habit of rushing headlong into danger.

At the Nursery, because I didn't know how it worked, OK?

 **Jermaine**

Species: Crabrawler (male)

Nature: Quirky

 **Hanzo**

Species: Grubbin (male)

Nature: Brave

Deceased:

 **Pona**

Species Rockruff(female)

Nature: Rash

Pona was Charlee's family pet as a child. Having known Charlee almost as long as Aleng, Pona was somewhat possessive of her trainer. She was inquisitive, playful, and determined to earn her place on the team.

 _ **The Rival**_ **: A Pokemon Mahina(Moon)** _ **Nuzlocke**_

 **Chapter 11: The Trials of Love**

Streamers of gold scattered billowy clouds as we raced up Akala Island's north side. Thundering waves crashed dramatically against the shoreline! Their energy seemed to echo the excitement that was surging through me. I hadn't felt this good since the morning we started this journey. A cool coastal breeze whipped at our faces as Route 5 went by as a blur! The minor battles and the occasion item acquisition barely registered on my radar. Right now, all of my focus, all my devotion, belonged to one person.

We had barely entered the area known as Lush Jungle when suddenly, she was there, like a vision! With a hand on her hip, she smiled and with a laugh, said, "Thanks for stopping by!"

"Mallow!" Unable to wait any longer, I threw my arms around her, squeezing lightly the small of her back and bringing her in as close as humanly possible!

"It's good to see you, Charlee!" It was when Mallow returned the hug that I truly knew I was in heaven, riding high on feelings of pure euphoria. Her fragrance seemed to completely surround us, personifying life itself: there was an holistic sweetness to the aroma; pure, clean, and somehow strengthened by a richness of spices. Was this is truly the scent of love? Or maybe it was just Mallow's kitchen. A twang of guilt mixed in with the overwhelming happiness I was feeling. After what had just happened on Haleakala, I found myself on the verge of sobbing; I hope she didn't notice.

Eventually, Mallow broke away to greet her old Mudbray. I was more than just a little jealous when Mallow bent down to hug her too. "Look at you, Applejack! You've already grown so much!"

"I've been gettin' one or two battles in."

"And what about Charlee? Have you been keeping him out of trouble?"

That question made me jump. My eyes pleaded silently with the Pokemon not to live up to her namesake.

"He's been dead set on seeing you again. Wouldn't of made it through the Fire Trial if he hadn't been thinking of you. That's for sure."

"Oh, Charlee!" Mallow turned and hugged me again. I just managed to see Applejack wink at me, before I willing lost myself in the warm ambrosia of the Captain's embrace.

BugLightyear looked away discreetly, while Izzy gushed over the display of affection. Aleng rolled his eyes.

"So! This trial is going to be a little different." Mallow said, trying to regain some semblance of professionalism. "Remember how, when we first met, you mentioned that you didn't really know how to cook?"

[Flashback]

" _No Charlee! FIRE BAD! FIRE BAD!"_

[/Flashback]

"Um...sure."

"Well, I thought for my trial, we could practice making a meal together! And then," she added, looking into my eyes, "we can share it."

"Iz this supposed to be a Trial, or a Date?" Rotomdex wondered out loud.

If I was lucky, it would be both. "That. Sounds. AWESOME!"

"I thought you would like it! First, we have to gather the ingredients, so hop on!" Mallow produced her Ride Pager, and from it, generated a massive dog, it's shaggy coat even more overgrown than the jungle around us! "See, Snoutland can sniff out items for you that are buried in the dirt where you can't even see them!" I took Mallow's outstretched hand and something passed between us. It reminded me of our first ride together on her Tauros. "Just a warning though: this _is_ still a Trial, so you better be ready to earn those ingredients by battling!"

"Ha! You bet I am! Let's go, Aleng!"

"Pass."

"WHAT?" I was so blind-sided that Mallow hold me to keep me from falling off...so it wasn't _all_ bad. "What do you mean, 'pass'?"

"Sending me into a Grass-type trial hardly seems fair for them. You're better off giving the experience to a Pokemon that needs it." He glanced in Izzy's direction.

"Come on, Aleng-"

"Take someone else." With that, the Trumbeak began to walk off down a different path.

Having my favorite teammate along was the one thing, the ONE THING, that could have made this date even better, and Aleng was _ruining_ it! I was ready to scream for him to get back here, when Mallow put a comforting hand on my shoulder. The solemn look in her eyes melted my angry glare; I sighed and then turned to Izzy. Aleng did have a point: the Grimer really didn't have as many chances to fight as the others. "Come on then. BugLightyear, you're with us as back up."

"I'll keep Aleng company." Applejack volunteered. "I'm no good against Grass types anyway."

I recalled the Grimer and Araquanid, gave my partner one last, forlorn glance, and then we were off to begin our trial.

Applejack took off after Aleng. "What in Arceus' name were you thinking back there?"

The Trumbeak tried to pick up speed, but with his zygodactyl feet, the best he could manage was an awkward shuffle. "I made myself perfectly clear."

"Clear that you're letting their relationship get to you more than it should. We had this talk already, and you said you would stick by Charlee!"

"Yeah, well, I said that when the two of them were still separated!" Aleng answered tersely. "It was bad enough when Charlee was just _talking_ about her; but now, they're actually... _together_!"

"And together, they're completing the Island Challenge, which is what _you_ should be doing with him."

"You don't think I want that? I just don't know why _she_ has to be a part of it too! She's not a part of our team! Captains aren't even supposed to help on Trials, and-" It took Aleng a moment to realize that Applejack was grinning at him.

"This isn't about Charlee, or the Island Challenge, is it? You're _jealous_ of Mallow!"

"I am not!" Aleng scrambled for a rebuttal. "My feelings are fine! I...I just think Charlee can do better! Yeah, he can do better! I mean, Mallow _is_ a Grass-type trainer, after all."

"And what exactly, is that supposed to mean?" Applejack stalked towards her teammate. No one would be allowed to speak ill of her old trainer. No one.

"Look, I know that Grass can be pretty intimidating for a Mudbray, but on the whole, they aren't exactly the most threatening type out there."

Applejack shook her head in disbelief. "Sweet Mew, you should just admit that you're jealous. Lying about it only makes you sound _racist_. Follow me." She doubled back the way they came, but Aleng remained rooted where he stood, flabbergasted by her comment. "What, you have something better to do?"

After several moments hesitation, Aleng followed after her retreating back. _Not like I know my way around anyway_.

It was difficult to say how far they walked, for eventually, every tree and fern began to look the same, but at some point, Applejack led them off any of the designated routes. If Aleng squinted real hard, he could make out faintest hint of a trail that took them deeper into the foliage. He chittered in annoyance. With such dense vegetation, flying wasn't an option, and it only seemed to get thicker with each passing step. The only consolation was that, with so many plants around them, the air was constantly cool and refreshing. Suddenly, the narrow path gave way to a massive open clearing where sunlight streamed through to illuminated the entire area- a hidden chamber of sorts within the trees themselves. Before the two Pokemon, stood a human-sized, pink mantis-looking creature!

Balancing on a pair of pin-striped legs, it flared a massive pair of raptorial forelegs to intimidate them. "I AM LURANTIS! TOTEM POKEMON OF-"

"Give it a rest, Asa, I've heard it before."

"Oh, it's you, Applejack!" Dropping her facade, the Totem Pokemon assumed a friendly, almost melodious voice, and stepped forward to formally greet her visitors. "I haven't seen you here for some time! And I see you've brought someone new!"

"Aleng, this is Asamitsu, the Totem of the Lush Jungle. Asa, this is Aleng."

The Lurantis bowed most graciously. "Welcome, Aleng. Any friend of Applejack's is always welcome!" With one of her claws, Asamitsu motioned for her guests to sit on the pillow-like moss that carpeted the cool jungle floor. With the other, she beckoned an Oranguru attendant. The ape of white and purple promptly provided the three with opened coconut shells filled with a shimmering, honey-colored.

"Sweet, Alolan Punch!" Applejack exclaimed excitedly.

"Thank you." Aleng accepted the offering. Then aside to Applejack, he said, "You brought us here for _drinks_?"

"I brought you here to work out your issues." Applejack whispered back. "Now try some of this before she thinks you're rude."

The first sip nearly bowled him over with a hurricane of tangy deliciousness. Rather than the conventional, overwhelming taste of sugar in most drinks, each ingredient retained its own uniquely fresh flavor as they struck Aleng's taste buds in rapid succession! No wonder they called this _Punch_! He greedily gulped at the cool, fruity nectar, throwing his head back like a living drinky-bird toy. "Ohmygod this is so good! Charlee has to try this!"

"Maybe when he's more mature." Applejack chuckled.

Asamitsu's eyes narrowed, but she continued to calmly sip from her cup. "Mallow mentioned that name numerous times in the past few days. He is the trainer currently undertaking the her Trial, is he not?"

Aleng took another swig for himself. "We're on his team."

The eyes of the Lurantis darted to Applejack. "Mallow gave _you_ to this trainer?"

The Mudbray smiled back. "Speaking of the Trial, I'm surprised that we found you here instead of testing Charlee." Despite what she said, Applejack did not sound surprised, _at all._

"Mallow wanted this Trial to be different. I was told to stay here." There was almost a defeated tone to Asamitsu's words as she helped herself to another mouthful.

"Oh. That's too bad."

"It is what the Captain wishes." The Lurantis dropped her gaze for only a moment to focus on her drink, before her stare returned with renewed intensity. "However, I wish to know more about your trainer. As a Flying type, Aleng, you would seemingly have the advantage in Mallow's Trial. Did Charlee ask you to withdraw as well?"

"No...nothing like that." Aleng knew that Applejack would instantly call out any attempts to distort the facts. He would have to be honest about it. "I'm...protesting right now."

At this, Asamitsu's expression shifted to one of surprise and concern. "You, you rejected your trainer?"

"Not exactly." Aleng reflected on the day when he actually _had_ disobeyed orders: during the battle against Selene at Iki Town. It had been an act of protest against what had obviously been asshole-ish behavior, and he had risked getting killed as a result. As he recovered that night however, the bond between Pokemon and Trainer had never felt stronger. Why was it then, that right now, Aleng felt like _he_ was the one being an ass? _Maybe it's the punch talking_. He thought. "I...don't exactly approve of Charlee's relationship with Mallow."

"You didn't like him hanging out with someone else, so you walked out on him." Applejack said bluntly.

As much as Aleng wanted to rage against his teammate, the truth in her words left him powerless; he couldn't deny it no matter how hard he tried. "If Charlee had really wanted me there, if he had commanded me, I would have stayed."

"You know he's not the kind to force us like that."

"Look, Charlee is my _partner_. If he needed me, I would be there for him in a heartbeat."

"It's not too late to go to him." Applejack finished her cup and declined a refill from Oranguru.

As much as Aleng hated himself for it, he allowed his previous resentment to take over once again. "He, he's fine. He's with Izzy, and BugLightyear, and _Mallow._ "

Applejack only shook her head, while Asamitsu asked for a second drink.

* * *

"Alright Izzy, Poison Fang!" The command was hardly necessary. It was the Grimer's favorite attack and using it was second-nature to her. The Pokemon in question, a Fomantis, fell with a single blow. Admittedly, that was faster than I would have liked. "Aw, I wanted to catch it!" I moaned as Mallow patted my back sympathetically.

"I'm sorry Charlee! I should have been more careful." Izzy said, with earnest remorse. Sheepishly, she handed me the Mago Berry that Fomantis had been guarding.

"Nah, it just means you're growing stronger. Keep up the great work!" I happily accepted the prize and shoved it into the Forage Bag that Mallow had given us.

"Still two more ingredients left to get! Just a little more to find!" Mallow said happily as we high-fived each other.

"Alright Snoutland, keep sniffing!" The ride Pokemon's flowing coat was surprisingly soft and gentle to the touch. The massive dog bounded forward after barely putting it's nose to the ground. At this rate, we would be cooking in no time! "So Mallow, what have you been doing?" I felt stupid for wasting such a meaningless, small-talk question on her; oh, but to hear her voice! Even the most mundane reply became poetry when it came from Mallow's lips.

"Nothing really big. Just holding trials and helping my family with the restaurant. I've just been really looking forward to spending time with you!"

"Heh, you and me both!"

"But from what I've heard, you were having some pretty exciting trials with the other Captains!"

A slight tinge of worry surfaced in my mind. "Uh...what have you been hearing, exactly?"

"Well, my friend Lana told me about how you liberated her trial site from that out of control Wishiwashi. And this morning, Kiavve said he was taking a break for a while, so your trial with him must have been really intense!"

"Heheh, yeah, something like that-oof!" Snoutland suddenly stopped and pointed his nose off the path. Somewhere up ahead was our next ingredient: a Revival Herb. As before, we wouldn't get it without a fight. I knew it as soon as another Fomantis leaped out of the jungle and rushed us! Guess we just had to rinse and repeat. "Alright Izzy, Poison Fang!"

* * *

"Hey, can I get some more?" Aleng held his empty cup out towards Oranguru. By his count, this was his third helping. It probably should be his last. He had lost count of how much Asamitsu had been drinking.

"I'm glad that you are enjoying it." The Totem took another swig of the beverage. "Captain Mallow developed this recipe you know. It took many attempts to perfect. After trainers gathered different ingredients in their trials, it was my responsibility and honor to decide if their drinks passed." Asamitsu allowed herself to smile at the fond memory.

 _Charlee would have made a joke about it being 'Trial and Error'._ For a moment, Aleng toyed with the idea of saying it himself, but it wasn't his style. "Do you think that's what Mallow has Charlee doing right now? Collecting ingredients for more punch?"

The Totem alternated between drinking and speaking. "Not this time. Mallow made it clear that she wanted their outing to be something more...special. Certainly, that is why she forbade me from participating." Now, there was more than just a hint of resentment in Asamitsu's voice. "A Trial without the Totem Pokemon is hardly a trial."

"Mallow's still a kid; if there's ever a time in her life to make mistakes, it's now." Applejack offered. "Just be glad she's still a decent Captain, unlike some of the other ones out there."

Aleng thought about the other Captains they had encountered so far: ʻIlima, Lana, and Kiavve. They weren't all bad humans, but despite their ranks being one of prestige and distinction, they had nonetheless faltered in their duties, one way or another. _At least, compared to them, Mallow hadn't completely screwed things up._ He thought. To his surprise, he found himself staring at the bottom of his empty cup; he had drained the rest of his drink without even thinking.

Asamitsu signaled Oranguru to refill her cup once more. "That doesn't mean that there will not be repercussions if word of Mallow's actions reaches the Kahuna." She thought for a moment. "And it is likely that _your_ trainer will be punished too, for his part in this affair."

"Don't worry Asa. Something tells me that puppy love isn't a serious offense." Applejack seemed strangely unconcerned.

"You aren't the one putting your job on the line." the Lurantis suddenly snapped. "This isn't a trial, it's a travesty! I could forever be known as the Totem Pokemon that failed in my duty!"

"Take it easy." Aleng said. "Trust me, there have been worse Totems."

"YOU take it easy! We'll be ruined! I'll end up trainerless and destitute like that Komoʻo in Poni Canyon!"

Applejack decided to side with Aleng. "You're startin' to get hysterical. You can't worry over things that are out of your control."

Suddenly, there was a gleam in the Lurantis' eye. "Who says it's beyond my control?"

"Think it was Mallow, when she told you to stay out of this Trial, remember?"

"So? What if I just disobey orders? Isn't that what _he_ did?" Asamitsu thrust and accusing claw in Aleng's direction.

The Trumbeak felt uncomfortable with being used as an example for going rogue. "Come on, be reasonable. You're a Totem Pokemon, you can't just-"

"You're right! I *am* a Totem Pokemon! For the protection of Lush Jungle and the Grass Trial, I will do what I must! Even if that means forcing my way into that Trial, and putting Charlee to the test! Yes! He is the cause of all this!" The epiphany seemed to drive the Totem to new levels of madness. "Once he and his Pokemon are defeated, Mallow will see her folly and abandon the fool!" Without wasting another second, the Lurantis sped from the clearing!

"Whew, what was in those drinks? Applejack sat back down and signaled Oranguru. Maybe I'll get another one after all."

"Are you kidding me?" Aleng shouted. "She's not thinking clearly! You're just going to let a crazed Lurantis go after Charlee?"

Applejack feigned weakness. "Oh! I am but a helpless Mudbray. Grass types are _so_ scary!"

"Don't you pull that stunt on me!" Aleng began to molt from the stress. Feathers began to cover the mossy carpet.

"Don't worry." Applejack smiled smugly. "You said it yourself: he's got Izzy, and BugLightyear, and _Mallow_. I'm sure she'll get that Lurantis under control."

"And what if she doesn't? What if Charlee and the others can't win?"

"Then I'd say your problem with their relationship will be over. That's what you wanted, right?"

Aleng was absolutely stunned to have so many of his own words come back to haunt him. Yes, ending their relationship _was_ what he wanted...wasn't it?

* * *

"Yes! And Miracle Seed is the last ingredient!" I shouted triumphantly.

"Way to go, Charlee!" Mallow cheered, and my heart swooned. "The way you blazed through those ingredients was really impressive; I've never seen a trainer so motivated! But now," she added slyly, "comes the real test: it's time you learned to cook!"

"Mallow!" A familiar voice called out.

"Are we too late?" Another asked. Coming up the path were none other than Lana and Kiavve, with items under each of their arms.

"The heck are _YOU_ guys doing here?!" I shouted in surprise. And maybe a little anger.

"Whoops! I guess I forgot I asked them to bring over a few extra cooking supplies." Mallow laughed sheepishly. "Silly me!" Well, if Mallow was the one who called them, I guess it was ok.

Lana smiled. "It's good to see you too, Charlee." Kiavve could only nod curtly.

"OK! Lana! Flip that Rocky Helmet over, and let's pour that Fresh Water into it!" She shouted with incredible energy. The joy of cooking had ignited a fire within her, like a stove at full power! That intense passion made Mallow seem all the more attractive. "Then in go the Mago Berry, the Tiny Mushroom, the Revival Herb, and the Miracle Seed…" I was about to dump the entire contents of the Forage Bag into the pot, but Mallow stopped me, and showed how they needed to go in one at a time, in that precise order. I did as she instructed, trying to mimic her, move for move. For that, I was rewarded with Mallow's smile of approval. "Kiavve, let us use the Thick Club and that Rare Bone for a minute!" Mallow placed both of the bone items in my hands and gently guided me through the initial motions, showing me how to use them like a poi-pounder, and instructing me to break each ingredient in the same order that they were added. "Don't worry, just tune them out and concentrate on you and me." Mallow held my hand and it was as if the other two Captains had suddenly vanished. Every time we touched like this, she became my entire world. "OK, Charlee! Pound it all to a pulp!" With a smile, I did just that! Or, tried to anyway. Maybe I was concentrating on Mallow _too_ much, because my eyes would slowly start drifting back upwards, towards her face. I couldn't seem to focus on the ingredients in the bowl. "Smack it! Crush it! Grind it! Turn it to goo!" The more I heard her voice, the harder it was for me to concentrate! What was going on?! If there was one thing I was good at, it was wanton violence!

Through the blissful haze, I heard Kiavve smirk. "And I thought you were immune to Salazzle's spell! Looks like you were just already under someone else's."

His teasing elicited a growl from me, much to everyone's amusement. I didn't see what was so funny, but my growing anger did help me to lay into those ingredients! At last, a unique aroma began to waft through the area. "Alright, now we're cooking!" I grinned, but my humor was greeted by only silence. "What? You guys all laughed at Kiavve's joke!" When I looked up however, I realized that the Captains weren't even looking at me anymore. Lana and Kiavve's faces were some combination of surprise and awe, while Mallow's expression carried the distinct look of displeasure. It was the first time I ever saw her upset like that.

Suddenly, her face morphed into one of shock! "Charlee, watch out!" Mallow grabbed me by my wrists! She pulled me forward as a massive pink claw came down where I stood just seconds before! I ended up on top of Mallow, but my survival instinct kept me from enjoying the moment as much as I should have. I looked back to find whomever was responsible for this.

My attacker was some sort of huge bug-thing; as pretty as it was ridiculous.

"That's a Totem Lurantis!" Rotom declared.

"Face me, Charlee!" she shouted, and took another swipe!

Once more, Mallow pulled me out of the way just in time. "What are you doing here Asamitsu? Go back into the Jungle!"

"I will not let your feelings jeopardize our Trial, Captain. The boy *will* face me!"

"Hey if it's a fight you want, I'll be happy to make you regret it! Go, BugLightyear!"

"Charlee, wait-"

"Use Leech Life!" BugLightyear immediately pounced, just as Lurantis whipped out her Red Herb and powered up to use Solar Blade! Both attacks collided with explosive force, but BugLightyear seemingly won out and was able to drain a good portion of Lurantis' health to restore his own! Had it not been for her totem powers, his typing would have surely guaranteed another 1-hit KO! Stupid totem powers.

"As Captain of Lush Jungle, I _order_ you to stand down!" Mallow shouted, brandishing her pokeball.

The massive mantid casually knocked it from her trainer's grasp. "This boy is a bad influence on you; I'll be doing us both a favor by laying him low!" Then Lurantis began to use another of her abilities: summoning an ally Pokemon. A puffy gray, floating blob answered her call!

"That's Castform!" shouted Rotomdex. "It's the Weather Pokemon! Its form changes on its own, due to its cells' sensitive reactions to temperature and humidity!"

"Hurry, take out before they can gang up on you!" I commanded! BugLightyear turned his Leech Life attack on the new arrival even as it used Sunny Day! The resulting Sunny Form Castform weathered the Araquanid's attack, and provided the distraction that Lurantis needed to heal itself with Synthesis. Crud. "Use Scald to finish Castform off and then focus on Lurantis again!" It pained me to see BugLightyear's water attack weakened by the intense sun, but it was the best we had right now, and at least it was still strong enough to finish Castform off. In doing so however, BugLightyear left himself completely exposed to a fully charged Solar Blade! "Watch out!"

"Argh!"

Mallow pulled desperately at my arm. "Charlee, you have to get out of here; I can't control her!"

"No! I won't quit this fight, and I'm not leaving one of my Pokemon! Hang in there, buddy. Just keep using Leech Life and you'll wear them down!" BugLightyear and Lurantis exchanged blows yet again and my Araquanid absorbed barely enough health to survive a third Solar Blade. At this rate, he couldn't last! I searched my bag desperately for a Super Potion. That was when a flapping noise filled the air and a Trumbeak swooped in low. "Aleng!" As I watched, the Lurantis took the time to heal again with Synthesis, giving BugLightyear a desperately needed opening to rush in and claim some of that vitality for himself with Leech Life. Any gains he may have made, however, were negated when the Trumbeak unleashed a blistering Rock Blast attack on him! WHAT?! It was all the Araquanid could do to avoid the stones as they slammed to earth all around him! "What are you doing?!" _Wait, since when does Aleng know Rock Blast?_

"That'z not Aleng! It'z an enemy Trumbeak!" Rotom's alarmed warning suddenly confirmed my worst fears: Lurantis had summoned another ally! BugLightyear staggered to all of his feet, surrounded on both sides by two powerful, healthy enemies.

"It is over for you, Araquanid. Stand aside." Lurantis hissed.

He locked his bug eyes with hers. "I'll never give in. If you want my trainer so bad, you will have to go through me!"

"Have it your way." Lurantis and the Trumbeak both attempted to strike him at the same time; she, using Solar Blade and her ally with Pluck! But their attacks never found a mark, because I forcefully recalled BugLightyear into his pokeball! Lurantis looked up at me, and grinned. "Now it's your turn." She and Trumbeak both rushed at me! I braced myself for their attacks head on: stance wide, arms raised, and eyes closed! Which meant I didn't see Mallow come up to push me out of the way, intent on taking the hits herself! "No!" The Lurantis tried to stop herself, but her momentum was too great, and her energized claw came slicing downwards towards her Captain!

"Mallow!" I screamed! A blur of orange, black, and white came out of nowhere and intercepted her at the last second! The knockback from the colliding attacks flattened the grass and shredded the surrounding foliage! It also threw Mallow into my lap, which was kind of nice, if we weren't so close to dying. Through the mist and the dust, I saw her savior begin to recover with Roost. The Trumbeak? No. At least, not Lurantis' ally, anyway. "Aleng! You saved Mallow!"

My partner glanced backwards at the two of us; we returned his gaze with stares of surprise and disbelief. "I...saved _Mallow_?" As Lurantis recovered for another attack, her own Trumbeak landed beside her, and Aleng turned to face them both. "Yeah...I guess I did."

"What are you doing, you fool? I'm trying to solve _both_ our grievances!"

"I noticed that you weren't ready to sacrifice your own trainer. What makes you think that I'm willing to let you hurt mine?"

The Totem Pokemon slashed wildly at the air. "It doesn't matter! You're only delaying the inevitable!" She nodded to her ally and the two readied their next combined assault.

"Aleng, what was she talking about?" This was probably the worst time to ask, but I did it anyway.

"Charlee, just know this: I'm not completely happy with you and Mallow being together. In fact, I'm jealous of her...but you could do worse." As he spoke, Lurantis came charging in with another Solar Blade, and the other Trumbeak used Rock Blast! Aleng flared his wings as if to shield us both. "You're my partner, and my friend. I promise, no matter what happens, I'll never lose sight of how important that is!" At the moment of impact, the burning energy was so intense, we were forced to shield our eyes! When the light faded moment later, everything had changed.

Lurantis stumbled back, clutching her claw and hissing pain! Her ally could only stare dumbfounded. Aleng shrugged off the effects of their attacks and rose to his new height and trumpeted in defiance. His enlarged beak now matched his entire body in length and it was alight with the same fiery energy that manifested in his eyes. My partner's transformation into Toucannon was complete.

"Aleng evolved!" Rotom declared excitedly, and started to blare the Intense Action Kanto Gym theme once again.

"He's magnificent." Mallow whispered. I nodded in agreement, but then I noticed Lurantis still clutching a singed claw.

"Beak Blast." Rotomdex explained. "Toucannon's signature attack. Anyone who makes contact with Toucannon gets burned. When fully charged, the heat energy is unleashed in a massive attack!"

Aleng's attack seemed pretty charged to me, so I pointed out a target. "Alright, show that Trumbeak why he can't hold a _candle_ to you! Beak Blast!" The pretender's eyes bulged when Aleng had him in the crosshairs. The startled ally Pokemon attempted to fly backwards as an evasive tactic, but there was no escaping my partner! Aleng launched himself forward and struck with the force of a bomb! Squawks of alarm and the smell of singed feathers filled the air as Trumbeak was blasted back into the jungle from whence it came! A single blow was all Aleng needed to take it out of the battle!

"Holy cow! Did you see that, Mallow?" It took me a moment to notice that she was no longer anywhere near me or the battle. Instead, I found her pawing through the leaf litter. "What are you-"

"I got it!" In her hand, she triumphantly held the pokeball that was lost earlier: the one that could contain Lurantis. But when Mallow look back towards me, her smile faded. "Behind you!"

Lurantis had used the distraction to stagger almost directly behind me. "This...isn't...over…"

And Mallow was too far away to help this time! "I can't get a clear shot with the pokeball!" In spite of the burn that wracked Lurantis' claw, it began to glow with another Solar Blade...before suddenly petering out, along with the Sunlight.

Aleng dropped directly between us and glared his opponent down in the most one-sided staring contest we had ever seen. "It's over." The Totem Pokemon screamed her frustrations and attempted to overwhelm him with Razor Leaf! But the foliage flew harmlessly around my partner.

Applejack came out of the jungle just in time to see a second Beak Blast practically flatten the Lurantis. "Well I'll be darned."

"Please, stop!" Before Aleng could attack again, Mallow threw herself in front of her wounded Pokemon. "I know that Asamitsu was out of line, and I have no right to ask this of you, but please, spare her."

Aleng stared at the Trial Captain. It gave Lurantis time to crawl to her feet, but she did not attempt another attack. "Charlee, you were the one she came after. What do you want to do with her?"

 _FINISH IT!_ The Totem Pokemon *did* attack me, after all, but then I looked at Mallow. In spite of what happened today, she clearly cared for this thing. Probably as much as I cared about Aleng. "Let Lurantis go. We're better than that." Aleng nodded to Mallow, who gratefully used her recovered pokeball to contain the wayward Totem, officially ending the battle.

"Wow, that was amazing!" Lana exclaimed.

"I wish you showed that self-control when you took down my Salazzle." Kiavve grumbled.

"Hey, she tried to seduce me!" I countered.

"Wait, Salazzle tried to seduce you?" Mallow asked incredulously.

I froze. "I...uh…"

She tackled me with another hug! "And the thought of me gave you the strength to defeat her!" I hugged her back, tighter than ever! "Alright everybody, let's celebrate! We still have a full bowl of freshly made Mallow Special! Oh! I mean, the Mallow-Charlee Special!"

Mallow, another Trial victory, and free food; I was in heaven! "Let's go, Aleng!"

"I'll catch up!" He said with a smile. "There's someone I need to talk to first!"

We made our way over to the food, as Applejack came up beside Aleng. "Congrats on evolving."

"Thanks, but don't act as if you didn't plan all of this."

The Mudbray continued to smile. "I only wanted you to come clean and be honest with yourself. Evolvin' never factored into it."

"Do you expect me to believe that you didn't manipulate Asamitsu into interrupting the Trial?"

"I could only nudge her in the right direction, but it was anyone's guess if she would act." Applejack shrugged. "But I'm glad she did. Would _you_ have accepted a trial without a Totem showdown? I know I wouldn't."

The Toucannon turned to watch the unfolding taste-test. "In the end, it's not for you or me to decide. Charlee's the one on trial, after all."

Applejack laughed. "Trials are about the Pokemon as much as they're about the human. Mallow might've wanted to test Charlee's cooking, but _I_ wanted to see just how close you and he really were. You passed, by the way."

Aleng didn't know whether to be insulted or honored by the revelation. Before he could make up is mind, screams of pain echoed through the Lush Jungle!

"S-SPICY!" The other Captains ran passed them, flames spewing from their mouths.

[Lana and Kiavve learned Flamethrower!]

"What? What's wrong with you guys? Don't you have any taste?!" Mallow shouted. "Oh well, I guess the Special still needs more work, huh?"

I nodded silently even as I shoved another spoonful of the curry into my mouth. The taste in itself wasn't bad: savory with chewy, hearty chunks. It was the heat however, that made things...difficult. The Mallow-Charlee Special left a trail of fire down my esophagus and into my stomach. The sensation was not unlike red-hot iron pokers stabbing everywhere in my mouth at once! What I wouldn't give for some rice to help neutralize it! The spice itself had a cumulative effect: each new bite seemed to exponentially increase the intensity! I found myself struggling to swallow with my tongue lolling outside of my mouth. Everywhere it touched on my chin seemed to burst into flames! A warm, stinging liquid began rolling down my cheeks. Holy crap! Was I _crying?!_

"What are you doing Charlee?!" Mallow shouted in alarm when she saw me. "Don't force yourself to eat it!"

"I-I don't care if it hurts." I said in slurred syllables, as tears rolled into my mouth. "This is the first meal we made together. I love you too much to waste it!"

She just shook her head. "Oh, Charlee..."

 **Author's Notes:** I was inspired to expand on the trainer-pokemon relationship because the idea sounded more interesting than just a typical romance scenario, and I felt that Aleng needed more development. Applejack's hidden depths got some unintentional exposure as well. Besides, the next chapter will have plenty of lovey-dovey moments (along with the Grand Trial), and having two romance-centered chapters would have made me sicker than the Mallow-Charlee special :P


End file.
